TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Road Traffic Legislation

Eric Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to amend the Road Traffic Act 1984.

John Spellar: None. There is no such Act of Parliament.

Departmental Consultants

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 584W, on departmental consultants, if he will set out the criteria for determining that contracts let to (a) Arthur Andersen, (b) Ernst and Young, (c) Mercers Management Consulting and (d) Schroder Salamon Smith Barney, on matters relating to Railtrack should not be subject to open competition.

Stephen Byers: The issues involved were highly sensitive, involving discussions being conducted with Railtrack and their advisers on the basis of strict confidentiality.

Piracy

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 208W, on piracy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) shipping and (b) port security measures in the United Kingdom.

David Jamieson: The United Kingdom has a comprehensive security regime in place for maritime passenger operations.
	The basis of this security regime is the Aviation and Maritime Security Act (AMSA) 1990, which enabled mandatory measures to be introduced for the maritime industry. These measures are formally required by Directions served on the industry covering a range of security issues, including searching of passengers and vehicles, the establishment of Restricted Zones (in which only passengers and other authorised persons are allowed) and pass wearing.
	These Directions establish the security standards that the Government expect the industry to comply with, by ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place.
	Inspectors from my Department undertake a continuous and comprehensive system of compliance visits to passenger ports and also undertake ship inspections, to ensure that effective security regimes, in accordance with the Directions, are maintained. They are empowered to take enforcement action against harbour/ship operators if the required standards are not being met.
	Following the events of 11 September 2001, the UK's maritime passenger industry was required to operate in accordance with increased levels of security requirements. These increased measures are kept under constant review.
	Consideration has also been given to additional initiatives. This work has been undertaken within Whitehall and has included, for the first time, offering general security advice to non-passenger ships and non-AMSA ports.

Nuclear Materials (Transportation)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the condition of railway lines leading to nuclear power stations.

David Jamieson: Maintenance of railway track leading to nuclear power stations which forms part of the Railtrack controlled infrastructure is the responsibility of Railtrack. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), through its HM Railways Inspectorate (HMRI), regulates health and safety on the railways. HMRI currently has a focus on track maintenance issues as one of its mandatory inspection programmes. HSE has advised me that HMRI is not aware of any specific problems at present with the condition of track leading to nuclear power stations.

Nuclear Materials (Transportation)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the requirements are for local authorities to prepare emergency plans for incidents involving trains carrying nuclear materials.

David Jamieson: The responsibility to prepare emergency plans for transport of nuclear material by rail rests principally with the train operator, facility owner and infrastructure controller. They have a duty under The Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations 1996 (RAMRail) to have emergency arrangements and to co-operate with each other so as to ensure effective co-ordination of their respective safety systems and procedures. Also under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR), carriers are required to prepare emergency plans and to consult with appropriate local authorities. Some types of consignment are exempt from these regulations, however, including material in packages which are designed and tested to meet severe accident conditions, and small quantities of material which present a very limited risk.

Nuclear Materials (Transportation)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many incidents there have been where flasks carrying radioactive material on trains have been found to be over the permitted radiation level, broken down by location and level of radiation.

David Jamieson: Such incidents are included in the annual reports to which I referred the hon. Member in my reply of 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 576W.

Nuclear Materials (Transportation)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the incidents in which trains carrying (a) radioactive material and (b) other nuclear materials have been involved which resulted in release of their materials in the north-west of England in the last six months.

David Jamieson: There have been no such incidents.

Nuclear Materials (Transportation)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the Department's definition is of 'no significant radiological safety implication', as used in the report, Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK-200 Review, published in October 2001.

David Jamieson: There is no formal definition of "significant" in the context of this report. A significant radiological consequence would be if radiation exposures approach or exceed the statutory limits. The radiological consequences listed in the report are much lower than this and are therefore not considered significant.

Train Protection Systems

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of trains using Paddington station have (a) ATP and (b) TPWS in place.

David Jamieson: Train protection systems are operational on all train services using Paddington station. First Great Western and Heathrow Express services are fitted with Automatic Train Protection (ATP) and Virgin Cross Country and Thames Trains services are fitted with the Train Protection and Warning Systems (TPWS).

Council Tax Enforcement

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many officials responsible for the policy for council tax enforcement in his Department have, as part of their training and information gathering, (a) visited a money advice centre, a magistrates court and the High Court when they are hearing cases for committal for council tax arrears and (b) discussed the difficulties with council tax application forms with the applicants.

Alan Whitehead: No such visits have been made. However, officials are in regular contact with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Local Government Association and local authorities about enforcement matters. Last November, officials also met with representatives of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust to discuss committal for local tax debts and are happy to meet other organisations and advice centres to discuss such matters.

Local Tax Arrears

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many warrants for committal to prison owing to local tax arrears were issued in 1999.

Alan Whitehead: Statistics on committal orders are published in The Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA) Revenue Collection Statistics.
	For 1999–2000, their estimated total number of orders obtained but postponed on payment terms was 22,119, based on grossed up actual figures provided by 253 of 376 local authorities.
	For the 253 responding authorities, the actual number of people committed to prison was 117.

Local Authority Statutory Notices

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent guidance his Department has issued on the publication of statutory notices by local authorities in the local press.

Stephen Byers: None. We issued general guidance about planning notices in Circular 15/92, "Publicity for Planning Applications". This includes advice on the categories of planning application that must be advertised in local newspapers. Separate requirements to advertise planning appeals and called-in planning applications are set out in secondary legislation. The Government's recently published planning Green Paper "Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change" indicates our intention to retain the requirement on planning authorities to advertise certain applications in the local press. However, we will review the requirement to publicise planning appeals and called- in planning applications with the aim of encouraging greater community participation.

Allotments

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what recent guidance his Department has issued on consultation on (a) supplementary planning guidance and (b) the change of use of allotments;
	(2)  what recent guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the change of use of allotments.

Stephen Byers: In March 1998, my Department issued guidance to local authorities to ensure that the availability of statutory allotments are actively promoted before applications for consent to their disposal are submitted. We have since consulted on draft Planning Policy Guidance note: (PPG) 17, which sets out revised criteria against which applications for consent to dispose of statutory allotments are to be determined. We will shortly be issuing the revised guidance to the Government offices and local authorities.
	My Department, in conjunction with the Local Government Association, published: "Growing in the community: A good practice guide for the management of allotments" in June 2001. This guide provides comprehensive advice and good practice for local authorities on all aspects of allotment management. My Department has also recently published "Allotments: a plot holders guide", which provides advice to current and potential allotment plot holders.

Bus Ticketing

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to improve the inter-changeability of bus tickets on routes served by different bus companies.

Stephen Byers: We wish to encourage joint ticketing schemes between bus operators, aimed at making life easier for bus users.
	Last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading, made an Order to exempt multi-operator ticketing schemes from having to be notified individually to the Office of Fair Trading. Any such scheme that meets the terms of the Order is therefore automatically exempted.
	I am, however, aware of the concern expressed both by bus operators and local authorities about the terms of the ticketing schemes block exemption. It would be highly undesirable if operators felt compelled to abandon existing worthwhile initiatives, or were deterred from developing new ones. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport has written to the Director General of Fair Trading, emphasising the importance that we place upon the continuation of sensible, multi-operator ticketing schemes that have proved popular with the travelling public.

Rural Bus Challenge

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the results of the 2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition.

Sally Keeble: I am pleased to announce today approval of the 58 projects listed which were submitted as bids by local authorities in this competition. This follows careful consideration of the 107 bids totalling more than three times the funding available submitted by authorities. Funding for the successful bids will total £20.5 million.
	
		2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition—awards
		
			 Authority/bid reference/name Funding awarded 
		
		
			 Cambridgeshire  
			 Taxi Plus 151,000 
			 West Huntingdonshire Rural Links 339,839 
			   
			 Cheshire  
			 Chester-Whitchurch Corridor—a rural Bus Quality Partnership 718,000 
			 Services for Young People in Vale Royal 67,500 
			 Rural Recovery—Blazing Trails 160,000 
			   
			 Cornwall  
			 Integrated Bissoe Valley Services 469,000 
			   
			 Cumbria  
			 Cumbria Connexion Enhancement 250,000 
			 Windermere Shuttle Bus 292,300 
			   
			 Darlington  
			 Provision of Quality Passenger Infrastructure 118,887 
			   
			 Derbyshire  
			 Clay Cross Accessible Transport Initiative (CATI) 291,625 
			   
			 Devon  
			 Devon Fare Cars 471,000 
			 Life in the Bus Lane—North Devon (Buses are Cool) 373,000 
			   
			 Durham  
			 County Durham RESPONSE 941,300 
			   
			 East Riding  
			 PATHFinder 825,000 
			   
			 East Sussex  
			 Travel Choice in the South Downs 363,000 
			   
			 Essex  
			 Harwich Connection Community Bus Co-operative 293,500 
			 Essex Taxi-Bus Carrier 20,500 
			   
			 Greater Manchester  
			 Expansion of Existing Rural Transport Co-operative in Partington and Cadishead 188,000 
			 Expansion of Existing Demand Responsive Taxi Service in Summersheat, Tottington and Ramsbottom 45,000 
			   
			 Hartlepool  
			 Enhanced Daytime Bus Service 135,000 
			   
			 Herefordshire  
			 Rural Taxibus Project 396,000 
			   
			 Hertfordshire  
			 Improving Access to Health Facilities 190,000 
			 Rural Community Transport and Accessible Vehicles 386,700 
			 Roundabout Transport 112,900 
			 Kent  
			 Rural demand responsive transport in Shepway 168,000 
			   
			 Lancashire  
			 Bowland Transit 634,375 
			   
			 Lincolnshire  
			 InterConnect—Responding to Rural Demands 771,500 
			   
			 Milton Keynes  
			 Demand Responsive and Evening Service 199,603 
			   
			 Norfolk  
			 Transport, Health and Well Being—Making the Links 471,000 
			   
			 North Yorkshire  
			 Friarage Hospital, Northallerton—Bus Turning Area and Waiting Facility 114,700 
			 Kirky overflow and Sicklinghall Area Minibus, Dunkeswick Lane End Interchange 276,000 
			 Ingleton and Settle Area Taxibus and Stationlink 170,000 
			 North Selby Taxibus 246,000 
			 Four in One 372,173 
			   
			 Northamptonshire  
			 Kettering Area Transport Demonstration Project 423,380 
			 "The Villager" Corby Rural Bus Scheme 111,860 
			 East Northamptonshire Connecting People Project 247,277 
			 Wellibus Villager—Enhanced Service 143,200 
			   
			 Northumberland  
			 Hadrian's Wall Bus 128,845 
			   
			 Peterborough  
			 Demand Responsive Bus Service 266,350 
			   
			 Somerset  
			 Community Transport in Mendip 'Special Rural Component' 89,000 
			 South Somerset Links, Langport and Chard 197,000 
			 The Rural Surrounds of Wiveliscombe 100,000 
			   
			 South Gloucestershire  
			 Continuation of Existing Vale-Link Dial-a-Ride Services 578,827 
			   
			 South Yorkshire  
			 Stocksbridge and Penistone Rural Link 1,013,689 
			   
			 Staffordshire  
			 Stone-Uttoxeter Rural Shopperbus 222,000 
			   
			 Suffolk  
			 3 into 1 Will Go 490,676 
			 Shotley Peninsula 256,497 
			   
			 Surrey  
			 Waverley Transport Solutions 150,000 
			   
			 Telford and Wrekin  
			 Cross Boundary—Rural to Town Link 742,895 
			   
			 Warwickshire  
			 Southam Flexibus 433,195 
			   
			 West Berkshire  
			 Widespread Introduction of Call-A-Bus 493,950 
			   
			 West Sussex  
			 DoRiS Plus 442,000 
			   
			 West Yorkshire  
			 Otley Area Transport Scheme 802,800 
			   
			 Wiltshire  
			 Expansion of Demand Responsive Bus Network 854,000 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead  
			 Borough Bus 435,000 
			   
			 Wokingham  
			 Twyford Community Bus 470,000 
			   
			 Worcestershire  
			 EasyLINK flexi 340,000 
			   
			 Total awards 20,454,843

Refrigerator Disposal Costs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what arrangements he has made with regard to the allocation of the adjustment to the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block, announced in the provisional local government finance settlement, to cover the cost of implementing refrigerator disposal regulations.

Stephen Byers: Pursuant to my answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 718W, £6 million has been added to the upper tier sub-block of the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services Standard Spending Assessment for 2002–03 for the costs of implementing refrigerator disposal regulations for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2002.

Ozone Depleting Substances

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether he intends to match the costs in the next financial year to Hertfordshire county council in complying with EC Regulation 2037/2000 on ozone depleting substances.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to reply.
	In December we announced a payment of £6 million funding for local authorities to cover their costs until March 2002. We are continuing to assess the impacts of the regulation and will determine what further action is required beyond that.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Foreign Language Programmes

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what plans she has to encourage the provision of foreign language programmes on independently owned (a) television channels and (b) radio stations;
	(2)  what responsibility her Department has for the provision of foreign language (a) television and (b) radio within the United Kingdom;
	(3)  what recent representations her Department has received from (a) right hon. and hon. Members and (b) others on the provision of foreign language television and radio in the United Kingdom.

Kim Howells: My Department has no responsibility for the provision of foreign language television or radio and the Government have no plans to intervene in the UK market for such services. The Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority are responsible for regulating television and radio programme services, including foreign language services, provided from places in the UK.
	I have received one recent representation on this subject from the right hon. Member for Kensington and Chelsea (Mr. Portillo) about the withdrawal of Spanish, Italian and German channels by a cable operator. I understand that members of the public have very occasionally raised the issue with my Department.

Departmental Expenditure (Publications)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the expenditure of her Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each of the last four years.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport spend was as follows:
	
		
			 Type of publication 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Newspapers 9,135 8,747 10,800 12,221 13,432 
			 Magazines 8,440 7,015 7,371 6,917 8,068 
			 Periodicals 8,167 7,447 10,185 6,498 6,734 
			  
			 Total 25,742 23,209 28,356 25,636 28,234

Football

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when she last met representatives of the Football Association to discuss matters relating to violence associated with the game on and off the pitch, and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent representations she has received about violence associated with football, and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  when she last met representatives of the Football Association to discuss the monitoring of legislation concerning travel by supporters to overseas games, and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 14 representations concerning football- related violence over the last five months.
	The Secretary of State maintains a close relationship with the Football Association. She has not met the FA recently to discuss football-related violence or the monitoring of legislation concerning travel by supporters to overseas games as this is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.
	The Government have placed extensive legislation for tackling football hooliganism at the disposal of the police and the courts. The scenes witnessed in Cardiff and other grounds should be placed in a proper context. Our stadia remain among the safest and most secure in the world and there is no evidence of a return to the mass hooliganism that marred our national game in previous decades. The Government are not complacent. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary liaises closely with the police and football authorities in monitoring supporter behaviour and in assessing the impact and effectiveness of current legislation.
	The measures introduced by the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 empower the courts to impose banning orders on individuals who have previously caused or contributed to violence or disorder at football matches, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that making an order would help to prevent violence or disorder at future matches.
	The imposition of sporting sanctions for misbehaviour by players on the field of play is the responsibility of the football authorities. However, the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 applies to all individuals, irrespective of their profession.

Analogue Switch-off

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Uxbridge, of 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 340W, on analogue switch-off, how access to digital equipment is determined.

Kim Howells: holding answer 24 January 2002
	As a target indicator of affordability, 95 per cent. of consumers should have access to equipment capable of receiving digital television services. The Digital Television Action Plan includes a specific action to conduct a comprehensive review of progress towards digital switchover, with particular reference to the accessibility, availability and affordability tests announced in September 1999. The review will refine the tests and report on how progress towards meeting them is to be measured. A first report is due by the end of March 2002.

Olympic Games

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to make a UK bid for the 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The decision on whether or not to launch a UK bid to host the Olympic Games is a matter principally for the British Olympic Association which has yet to decide whether to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. It is current BOA policy that any UK bid should be based on London. The BOA's eventual decision will inevitably be influenced by public opinion both in London and across the UK, together with the views of London and central Governments.
	The BOA has formed a key stakeholders group involving my Department, the Greater London Authority, UK Sport and Sport England to discuss the prospects for a London bid. The key stakeholders group have appointed Arup consultants to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of bidding for and, if successful, staging an Olympic Games in London. The consultancy will form part of the on-going work that is assessing the viability and merits of a potential London Olympic bid for 2012.
	Arup consultants were appointed following a competitive tendering process. I have placed copies of the Invitation to Tender in the House Libraries. The consultancy will be jointly funded by DCMS, UK Sport, the London Development Agency and the British Olympic Association.
	This consultancy will include an assessment of the costs to public and private funds of bidding and—if successful—of staging a London Games. It will also contain a breakdown of the potential benefits that would accrue from the bid process and through subsequently hosting the event.
	The consultants are due to present their completed report to the funding bodies in early May. A decision on whether or not to publish the report will be taken once the extent of commercially confidential information it contains is known.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Pay Review Body

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the appointment to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body of a replacement for Vice Admiral Sir Toby Frere KCB.

Geoff Hoon: I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Vice Admiral Sir (Anthony) Peter Woodhead KCB to a three-year term. This appointment has been conducted in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment's guidance on appointments to public bodies.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States personnel have visited the Atomic Weapons Establishment in each of the last three years; and from which United States departments and establishments these visitors have come.

Geoff Hoon: The number of United States personnel who visited the Atomic Weapons Establishment in each of the last three years is shown as follows:
	1999—there were 100 visits involving 365 different people
	2000—there were 98 visits involving 384 different people
	2001—there were 87 visits involving 296 different people
	(in each year a number of personnel visited more than once).
	These visitors were from the following State departments or establishments:
	Alme Associates—Government Contractor
	Applied Research Associates
	Allied Signal, Kansas City
	Bechtel Nevada
	Central Intelligence Agency
	Chew and Associates Incorporated
	Department Internal Audit
	Department of Defense
	Department of Energy HQ and Operations
	Defense Threat Reduction Agency
	Honeywell Kansas City Plant
	ITT Industries
	Kaiser Hill—Consultants
	Los Alamos National Laboratory
	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
	Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space
	Lockhead Martin Technology Services
	Logicon RDA
	Mound, Miamisburg
	National Nuclear Security Agency
	Naval Research Laboratory
	Naval Surface Warfare Center
	Oak Ridge National Laboratory
	Pantex Plant
	Picatinny Arsenal
	Program Management Office, Strategic Systems Programs
	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
	Pro2serve—Consultants
	Science Applications International Corporation
	Schmitt—Consultants
	Sandia National Laboratory
	Space Electronics—Consultants
	Special Projects UK Office
	Strategic Systems Programs
	Titan Corporation
	University of California
	US Strategic Command
	Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by his Department since August 2001; and if he will list those produced (a) following initial consultation with affected parties about the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) which set out full commercial impacts, including profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in Good Policy Making.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office gave him on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 483W.

Joint Working Groups

Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Joint Working Groups operating under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement; and how many Joint Working Group meetings have been hosted in the (a) UK and (b) USA under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement since May 1997.

Lewis Moonie: The Joint Working Groups currently in existence under the terms of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement are:
	
		
			 Joint Working Group  Title 
		
		
			 6 Radiation Simulation and Kinetic Effects 
			 9 Energetic Materials 
			 22 Nuclear Materials 
			 23 Warhead Electrical Components and Technologies 
			 28 Non-Nuclear Materials 
			 29 Nuclear Counter-Terrorism Technology 
			 30 Facilities 
			 31 Nuclear Weapons Engineering 
			 32 Nuclear Warhead Physics 
			 34 Computational Technology 
			 36 Aircraft, Missile and Space System Hardening 
			 37 Laboratory Plasma Physics 
			 39 Manufacturing Practices 
			 41 Nuclear Warhead Accident Response 
			 42 Nuclear Weapon Code Development 
			 43 Nuclear Weapon Environment and Damage Effects 
		
	
	Since May 1997 the number of meetings connected with Joint Working Groups which have taken place in the UK and the US is:
	
		
			  Meetings in the UK Meetings in the US 
		
		
			 1997 (May onwards) 64 79 
			 1998 78 148 
			 1999 78 123 
			 2000 66 116 
			 2001 61 120

Joint Working Groups

Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which United States departments and establishments were represented at the October 2000 meeting of JOWOG 32.

Lewis Moonie: The JOWOG 32 meeting at AWE in October 2000 was attended by representatives from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque.

Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of medical examination and assessment is required from those former and existing service personnel who are on the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in 1993. As at 17 January 2002, 3,276 patients had been seen by GVMAP physicians. The GVMAP is located at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and is open to all present and former service men and women or MOD civilians who believe that their health has suffered as a direct result of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. Its two main purposes are:
	to investigate patients' medical complaints, make a diagnosis as far as is possible, and recommend appropriate management, or provide reassurance if no illness is found;
	to collate statistical information in an anonymised form as a resource for researchers.
	Patients are referred to the GVMAP by their doctors. There is no pre-determined medical criterion they need to satisfy before being seen. Patients are given a full medical examination by GVMAP physicians and a range of physical tests; investigations routinely conducted for all patients include urinalysis, haematological, biochemical, biological and serological tests, ultrasound scan of the abdomen and electrocardiography. These tests are carried out on the day of the appointment and take approximately four hours. Additional investigations and/or referrals to other consultants/specialists may be required. This is decided either during the initial appointment or in follow-up consultations if deemed necessary. Since May 2001, a small number of patients have been seen at a clinic held every two months and run by the head of the GVMAP in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Patients are given the same assessment as they would have received had they come to London.
	The clinical findings from the first 1,000 service and ex-service patients seen by GVMAP physicians were published in the British Medical Journal on 30 January 1999. A paper on the clinical findings from the second 1,000 service and ex-service patients seen was published in the Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps on 29 June 2001. Copies of both papers—as too is a great deal more information of interest to Gulf veterans—are readily available from the Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit (Freephone 0800 169 4495) and on my Department's website at: www.mod.uk/issues/ gulfwar/index.html. A clinical analysis of the first 3,000 service and ex-service veterans who have attended the GVMAP is being prepared for peer-review and publication in a scientific journal.

Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to put the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme into independent administration.

Lewis Moonie: None. Medical Assessment Programme physicians already have complete clinical independence from the Ministry of Defence.

Accommodation

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been allocated (a) to improve armed forces single living accommodation and (b) to upgrade married quarters in the last three years.

Lewis Moonie: Over the last three financial years we have spent £283 million on upgrading single living accommodation, and £167 million on service family accommodation (SFA). A new modernisation programme for single living accommodation was announced in March 2001 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. Worth some £1 billion, its aim is the upgrading of over 30,000 bed spaces within five years of the appointment of a prime contractor. The Defence Housing Executive has a continuing programme to upgrade the core of stock of service families accommodation by the end of 2005.

Medically Downgraded Personnel

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Army and (b) RAF personnel were medically downgraded on 1 April 2001; how many of these have postings which would require them to be operational or on rapid reaction duties if fit; and how many of these in each category are (i) awaiting an initial medical consultation, (ii) awaiting treatment following an initial medical consultation and (iii) receiving treatment.

Lewis Moonie: As at 1 April 2001, there were 9,635 medically downgraded personnel in the Army, many of whom would be deployable on military operations although not at the front line. At the same date, there were 3,888 medically downgraded personnel in the RAF, who were considered unfit for any type of deployment. Information is not held centrally on the numbers of medically downgraded personnel who have postings which would require them to deploy overseas on operations or rapid reaction duties, or on the numbers receiving treatment, awaiting an initial medical consultation or awaiting treatment following an initial medical consultation. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Washington Treaty

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the practical consequences resulting from bringing terrorism countermeasures within the remit of Article 5 of the Washington treaty and how this may affect NATO's commitment to guarantee the security of WEU member countries; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The decision to invoke Article 5 following the terrorist attacks of 11 September was consistent with NATO's process of adaptation since the end of the cold war, and the alliance will continue adapting its capabilities to reflect changes in the security environment.
	All WEU member states and associate members are also members of NATO; the security of these states is guaranteed by NATO under Article 5 of the Washington treaty.

Nancekuke

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 317W, on Nancekuke, whether there are records of equipment and materials being brought from overseas for use, storage and disposal at CDE Nancekuke.

Lewis Moonie: There are no surviving records which detail the origin of equipment and materials used at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Nancekuke.
	However, records summarising the technical programme undertaken at Nancekuke indicate that in 1959, CN (chloroacetophenone) of both Belgian and Italian origin was transferred to Nancekuke. Some of the CN of Belgian origin was returned to Belgium during 1962 to 1967.
	Additional anecdotal evidence also implies that some of the nerve agent production plant built at Nancekuke contained equipment originating from Germany.

MOD Vehicles

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 555W, what criteria are laid down whereby operational requirements for the purchase of vehicles by the MOD police mean that the choice is not subject to competition.

Lewis Moonie: Purchases of vehicles for the Ministry of Defence Police are made on the basis of obtaining best value for money. The MOD police can make a request for a particular make and model of vehicle for specific operational requirements. Each request is scrutinised and considered on its individual merits. Where no competition takes place, we would still expect to secure discounted prices based on wider purchasing arrangements secured in a competitive environment. Typically requests for specific vehicles do not exceed 6 per year.

HEALTH

Hospital Developments

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects each of the 12 hospital developments, announced on 15 February, to be completed.

John Hutton: The table shows the current indicative timetables for the 12 new hospital developments which will be taken forward this year as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 15 February 2001.
	
		
			 Trust  Capital value (£ million) Anticipated date of contract signing Anticipated operational date 
		
		
			 University Hospital Birmingham 291 Autumn 2003 Spring 2008 
			 Bradford Hospital 116 Summer 2004 Winter 2007 
			 North Bristol Mental Health 68 Spring 2002 Winter 2005 
			 Central Middlesex 56 Summer 2003 Summer 2005 
			 East Kent 102 Winter 2004 Summer 2006 
			 University Hospital Leicester 286 Winter 2005 Winter 2010 
			 Lewisham 44 Spring 2004 Winter 2005 
			 Peterborough 135 Autumn 2003 Spring 2007 
			 Salford Trust—Hope Hospital 114 Winter 2003 Spring 2007 
			 Tunbridge Wells 175 Autumn 2004 Autumn 2007 
			 Wakefield and Pontefract 164 Summer 2004 Summer 2007 
			 Whipps Cross—Forest Healthcare 184 Spring 2004 Summer 2008

Private Beds

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private beds have been used by the NHS in the last five years.

John Hutton: According to data collected from independent healthcare providers by the Independent Healthcare Association, since November 2000 at least 75,000 patients have been treated in the independent sector, paid for by the national health service. This figure includes out-patient appointments, day cases and in-patient treatment. A breakdown by type of operation will shortly be placed in the Library.

Operation Cancellations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled in each quarter since 1997.

John Hutton: Data are collected on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute. The latest published figures are for Quarter 1 2001–02. Copies of quarterly statistics on cancelled operations by health authority for the years requested are available in the Library.

MMR Vaccinations (Buckinghamshire)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of eligible children were vaccinated with the MMR vaccine in South Buckinghamshire in (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01.

Hazel Blears: The information available about children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella is contained in the Statistical Bulletin "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 2000–01". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0121.htm.

Hospital Waiting Lists (Buckinghamshire)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage was of patients waiting for in-patient treatment in the South Buckinghamshire health authority on 1 January in each of the years 1997 to 2002.

Hazel Blears: Information is not available relating to the 1 January each year, nor for South Buckinghamshire health authority. Information is available on the total number of patients waiting at the end of each quarter in Buckinghamshire health authority as shown in the table. Information for the third quarter of this year is not yet available.
	
		Number of patients waiting in Buckinghamshire health authority
		
			 Quarter 3 Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 16,154 
			 1998–99 14,679 
			 1999–2000 13,854 
			 2000–01 13,535

Hospital Treatment Costs

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is to the national health service of treating an in-patient in a national health service hospital for one week.

John Hutton: No information is kept centrally on the average costs of an in-patient week in hospital; the data are collected by condition. The cost of any stay will vary due to the nature of the condition being treated, the age of the patient and any pre-existing conditions that the patient may have.
	Cost information on in-patient, day case and out-patient treatments can be found on the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk. Copies of the publication reference costs 2000 are available in the Library.

NHS Dentistry

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies for new NHS dental patients are available in the Gosport constituency.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Waiting Lists

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which trusts have more than 10 per cent. of patients waiting on in-patient lists placed on suspended lists and more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months on in-patient lists; and which of these trusts have been investigated by the Department of Health for waiting list irregularities in the light of recommendations from the National Audit Office.

John Hutton: The 13 trusts referred to in the National Audit Office report "Inappropriate adjustments to NHS waiting lists", which had more than 10 per cent. of patients waiting on in-patient waiting lists placed on suspended lists and more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months on in-patient waiting lists, are as listed.
	The Royal United Hospital Bath NHS trust
	Epsom and St. Helier NHS trust
	Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS trust
	Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS trust
	Countess of Chester Hospital NHS trust
	Dartford and Gravesham NHS trust
	The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS trust
	Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS trust
	Good Hope Hospital NHS trust
	Wirral Hospital NHS trust
	West Suffolk Hospitals NHS trust
	The Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS trust
	Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS trust.
	Regional offices regularly monitor suspension rates of all trusts as part of the performance management function. Since the NAO report on 19 December, regional offices have been reviewing the position of the 13 noted trusts.

Emergency Contraception

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which areas the morning-after pill is available to (a) girls aged 14 and 15, (b) girls aged 12 and 13 and (c) girls under-12 without a doctor's prescription; and what measures are in place in each such area to address issues of child abuse.

Yvette Cooper: All emergency contraception supplied to under-16s is a prescription only medicine (POM). This is provided under medical supervision which includes other health professionals supplying the POM product under patient group directions. Information collected centrally of the number or prescriptions for emergency hormonal contraception dispensed in family planning clinics and prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors in England is included in my reply to the hon. Member on 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 965W.
	Health professionals providing contraception to under-16s do so within a legal framework established in 1986. This involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and whether the treatment is in their best interests. Health professionals, like any other professional whose work brings them into contact with children and families, should follow the Government's "Working Together to Safeguard Children" child protection guidance. This guidance sets out how all agencies and professionals should work together to promote children's welfare and protect them from abuse and neglect. It is intended to provide a national framework within which agencies and professionals at a local level—individually and jointly—draw up and agree upon their own more detailed ways of working together.

Bristol Royal Infirmary

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been set aside to compensate the children who survived the Bristol heart case affair.

John Hutton: holding answer 17 January 2002
	All claims for compensation are assessed individually, on their merits. Any compensation payments made in relation to cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary will be handled in accordance with the arrangements in place for all other clinical negligence claims against national health service trusts and health authorities.

Bristol Royal Infirmary

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases where children were left mentally disabled resulting from the Bristol heart cases (a) have been settled and (b) are outstanding.

John Hutton: holding answer 17 January 2002
	There have been a total of 61 claims made in relation to children who are alleged to have suffered injury following cardiac surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary. In two of these cases legal proceedings have been issued. Admissions of liability have been made in two other cases, but neither of these were subject to court proceedings. 24 cases have either been withdrawn or are unlikely to proceed. In the remaining 33 cases solicitors have been asked to provide further details.

Bristol Royal Infirmary

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been paid out to date by way of compensation to families resulting from the Bristol heart cases.

John Hutton: holding answer 17 January 2002
	A total of £1,900,000 has so far been paid out to date as compensation for claims relating to cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Foundation Hospitals

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process will be used to select managers for the proposed foundation hospitals.

John Hutton: Where appointments are necessary the normal national health service practices, based on fair and open competition, will be used.

Health Spending

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate health spending per head of population by health authority in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

John Hutton: holding answer 22 January 2002
	The expenditure by weighted head of population for each English health authority area for 2000–01 is shown in the table. Expenditure estimates for 2001–02 are not yet available.
	
		Expenditure by health authorities and primary care trusts
		
			 Health authority Expenditure by weighted head (£) 
		
		
			 Avon HA 856.75 
			 Barking and Havering HA 773.42 
			 Barnet HA 959.87 
			 Barnsley HA 766.50 
			 Bedfordshire HA 779.74 
			 Berkshire HA 804.46 
			 Bexley and Greenwich HA 886.09 
			 Birmingham HA 823.71 
			 Bradford HA 769.58 
			 Brent and Harrow HA 823.29 
			 Bromley HA 971.74 
			 Buckinghamshire HA 755.09 
			 Bury and Rochdale HA 771.15 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees HA 763.88 
			 Cambridgeshire HA 786.94 
			 Camden and Islington HA 1,067.88 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA 796.09 
			 County Durham and Darlington HA 738.32 
			 Coventry HA 802.56 
			 Croydon HA 925.44 
			 Doncaster HA 861.88 
			 Dorset HA 1,023.69 
			 Dudley HA 828.09 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA 826.21 
			 East and North Hertfordshire HA 803.66 
			 East Kent HA 810.16 
			 East Lancashire HA 740.66 
			 East London and The City HA 869.91 
			 East Riding and Hull HA 787.13 
			 East Surrey HA 958.66 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA 827.74 
			 Enfield and Haringey HA 817.53 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside HA 784.29 
			 Gloucestershire HA 799.79 
			 Herefordshire HA 761.71 
			 Hillingdon HA 753.76 
			 Isle of Wight HA 867.61 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA 1,011.24 
			 Kingston and Richmond HA 829.50 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA 886.88 
			 Leeds HA 869.94 
			 Leicestershire HA 779.71 
			 Lincolnshire HA 808.95 
			 Liverpool HA 887.35 
			 Manchester HA 869.02 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA 882.91 
			 Morecambe Bay HA 1,346.04 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside HA 811.10 
			 Norfolk HA 815.11 
			 North and East Devon HA 800.95 
			 North and Mid Hampshire HA 835.93 
			 North Cheshire HA 811.75 
			 North Cumbria HA 793.52 
			 North Derbyshire HA 744.33 
			 North Essex HA 839.97 
			 North Nottinghamshire HA 761.33 
			 North Staffordshire HA 760.11 
			 North West Lancashire HA 770.48 
			 North Yorkshire HA 814.07 
			 Northamptonshire HA 830.95 
			 Northumberland HA 871.50 
			 Nottingham HA 842.50 
			 Oxfordshire HA 823.14 
			 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA 762.50 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA 901.60 
			 Rotherham HA 773.29 
			 Salford and Trafford HA 839.62 
			 Sandwell HA 777.76 
			 Sefton HA 1,040.25 
			 Sheffield HA 956.59 
			 Shropshire HA 763.29 
			 Solihull HA 756.17 
			 Somerset HA 825.30 
			 South and West Devon HA 800.84 
			 South Cheshire HA 801.87 
			 South Essex HA 806.50 
			 South Humber HA 802.29 
			 South Lancashire HA 779.41 
			 South Staffordshire HA 792.06 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire HA 781.00 
			 Southern Derbyshire HA 759.33 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley HA 749.06 
			 Stockport HA 759.28 
			 Suffolk HA 778.56 
			 Sunderland HA 781.94 
			 Tees HA 824.19 
			 Wakefield HA 854.72 
			 Walsall HA 776.48 
			 Warwickshire HA 798.29 
			 West Hertfordshire HA 800.40 
			 West Kent HA 786.21 
			 West Pennine HA 746.22 
			 West Surrey HA 840.34 
			 West Sussex HA 784.64 
			 Wigan and Bolton HA 732.65 
			 Wiltshire HA 828.57 
			 Wirral HA 798.81 
			 Wolverhampton HA 763.81 
			 Worcestershire HA 827.41 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. In many health authorities there are factors which distort the expenditure per head. These include:
	(i) the health authority acting in a lead capacity to commission health care or fund training on behalf of other health bodies;
	(ii) asset revaluations in NHS trusts being funded through health authorities; and
	(iii) some double counting of expenditure between health authorities and primary care trusts within the health authority area.
	2. Expenditure per head cannot therefore be reliably compared between health authorities.
	3. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities.
	4. Expenditure is taken from health authority and primary care trust summarisation forms which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total spent by the health authority and by the primary care trusts within each health authority area. The majority of General Dental Services expenditure is not included in the health authority or primary care trust accounts and is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board.
	5. Health authorities and primary care trusts should account for their expenditure on a gross basis. This results in an element of double counting where one body acts as the main commissioner and is then reimbursed by other bodies. The effect of this double counting within the answer cannot be identified.
	Sources:
	Health authority audited summarisation forms 2000–01
	Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2000–01
	Weighted population estimates for 2000–2001

Napp Pharmaceuticals

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health following the Competition Commission Appeal Tribunal's upholding of the Office of Fair Trading's findings against Napp Pharmaceuticals, what assessment he has made of the extent of similar abuses and their cost to the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 January 2002
	I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Staffing

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the change in the number of civil servants working within the Scotland Office in the last 12 months.

George Foulkes: At 31 March 2001 the Department had 107 staff in post. It currently has 114. Both of these figures are within the staffing levels planned for the Scotland Office in July 1999.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Devolution

David Cairns: To ask the Advocate-General what criteria she takes into account in deciding to intervene in devolution issues; and what consideration she gives to the cost to public funds.

Lynda Clark: The vast majority of cases to date have involved human rights issues. The reasons for intervention will vary according to the circumstances and the criteria are not rigid. In considering intervention I always have very much in mind the need to avoid unnecessary delay in criminal proceedings and the cost of intervention to the public purse. I have taken the view that intervention should not be a routine matter. I might for instance intervene where the case raises human rights issues of serious concern to the Government and I am satisfied that these are more likely to be resolved satisfactorily with my intervention. Experience has shown that the vast majority of devolution issues are disposed of satisfactorily by the courts, without any need for my intervention and consequent public expense. Where cases reach the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, intervention is particularly apt because that is the final authority. But even in these cases my intervention may not be necessary. My role as Advocate-General is not to intervene in cases at any level, at significant public expense, merely because there is an interesting legal point being debated.

Devolution

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has raised proceedings in the Scottish courts on a devolution issue since the creation of her office.

Lynda Clark: I have not been responsible for the raising of any devolution issue proceedings in the Scottish courts. All issues concerning the competence of the actings of the Scottish Parliament, or the Scottish Ministers, have been resolved without any need for me to instigate court actions.

Ministerial Duties

David Cairns: To ask the Advocate-General what proposals she has to review the role and function of the Advocate-General.

Lynda Clark: My role and functions include a legal advisory role as Law Officer and statutory functions under the Scotland Act 1998. I cannot alter these responsibilities but regularly review how I carry them out, and have no current proposals for change. My office was created by Parliament less than three years ago and I have had to establish and develop it, determining what is required to be done and how to do it. In my advisory role, I have worked closely with the other UK Law Officers to ensure the Government get high quality legal advice, essential to their work. I have developed my role under the Scotland Act, in close co-operation with UK Departments, to seek to ensure that the Government have early warning of issues of competence of Bills of the Scottish Parliament or actings of the Scottish Executive, and can engage in constructive dialogue with the Scottish Executive to address them. Establishing and developing a new office of State is an exciting challenge. The creation of my office has also resulted in a Law Officer with Scottish responsibilities being available in the House of Commons for the first time since 1987.

Scots Law

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General if she will list occasions she has been requested by the Government to give advice on Scots Law since the general election.

Lynda Clark: I give Law officers' advice frequently and it is a major part of my work. I am precluded from providing further information because it is a long standing convention, adhered to by successive Governments and enshrined in the Ministerial Code, that neither the fact that the Law Officers have advised on a matter, nor the content of any advice which they may have given, is disclosed outside Government other than in exceptional circumstances. This is to protect the confidentiality of the legal advice given to the Government. I have explained this convention to Parliament on a number of occasions. In addition, my officials in the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General frequently advise Government Departments on Scots Law.

Legislation

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General how many Bills of the Scottish Parliament she has referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council since the creation of her Office.

Lynda Clark: Since devolution in July 1999 my officials and I have examined 30 Bills in conjunction with relevant Government Departments at various stages during their progress through the Scottish Parliament in order to ensure that any problem of legislative competence is identified and resolved if possible, in order to try to avoid the need to refer a Bill to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Bill may be outwith legal competence in a variety of ways, for example, if it relates to reserved matters, or relates to enactments protected from modification by the Scottish Parliament, or is incompatible with any of the rights of the European Convention on Human Rights or with European Community law. Thus far I am pleased to advise that any problems have been resolved, following legal advice when necessary, and after co-operation and dialogue. As a result I have not referred any Bill so far to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The existence of the power of referral and the work which is done in connection with that power is an essential part of the devolution settlement.

Departmental Costs

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General what the total cost of her Office has been in each year since its creation.

Lynda Clark: The office of the Advocate- General for Scotland was established on 20 May 1999 and since 1 July 1999 forms part of the Scotland Office with the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Not all the costs of the Scotland Office can be separately allocated to each of these two Offices.
	Between 20 May and 1 July 1999, the costs of the office of the Advocate-General were paid by the former Scottish Office. From 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000 the identifiable costs of staff and related administration was £883,326; and in 2000–01 it was £1,265,215. Approximately half of the costs of the office relates to work on litigation and advisory work including the preparation of Bills carried out by lawyers from the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General on behalf of Government Departments other than the Advocate- General.

Court Proceedings

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has (a) defended and (b) intervened in court proceedings raised by other parties.

Lynda Clark: I have not defended any actions under the Scotland Act 1998 as none have been raised against me under that Act. I have intervened in 21 court proceedings raised by other parties under the Scotland Act. Over 1,300 devolution issue cases have been intimated to me since May 1999 and my officials and I consider these in conjunction with interested Government Departments. As I have explained to Parliament on a number of occasions I intervene, as a UK Law Officer, only in special circumstances. Most cases are disposed of in the lower courts with no need for my intervention.

Scotland Office Website

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General how many hits there were on the Advocate-General's page of the Scotland Office website between the general election and 1 January 2002.

Lynda Clark: From June 2001 to 31 December 2001, there were 2,493 hits on the Advocate-General's pages of the Scotland Office website.

Law Officers' Advice

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has been requested by the (a) Attorney-General and (b) Solicitor-General to give advice on a matter of law since the creation of her Office; and if she will list them.

Lynda Clark: Requests for the Law Officers' advice come from Government Departments and not from the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General for England and Wales. The usual practice is that for requests for advice concerning matters of common interest to the whole United Kingdom, such as the application of European law or human rights issues, I advise jointly with the other United Kingdom Law Officers. Such advice is given frequently. The convention concerning the confidentiality of the Law Officers' advice applies and precludes me from providing details.

Legal Secretariat

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General if she will list the Government Departments for whom the Legal Secretariat has provided legal services.

Lynda Clark: The Legal Secretariat does not provide legal services to Government Departments but assists me in my ministerial duties, such as preparing Law Officers' advice and Cabinet Committee work. The Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General provides legal services to most Government Departments. Clients include the Cabinet Office and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, the Department for International Development, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Office of Fair Trading, and the Scotland Office itself.

Legal Secretariat

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General how many (a) advocates and (b) solicitors have been employed in the Legal Secretariat in each year since the creation of her office.

Lynda Clark: The complement of the Legal Secretariat in each of the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 has been three lawyers, all of whom have been solicitors.

Legal Secretariat

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General if she will list the matters in which the Legal Secretariat participated in discussions between the UK Government and the Scottish Executive since the general election.

Lynda Clark: Members of the Legal Secretariat frequently participate in co-ordination meetings of officials involving representatives of the devolved Administrations as well as Government Departments. Such meetings most commonly concern the application of European Law, human rights and the devolution settlement to various subjects.

Court Appearances

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has appeared in court as Advocate- General since the general election.

Lynda Clark: Since June 2001 I have personally appeared in court in two cases. The first was Karl Anderson, Alexander Reid and Brian Doherty v. The Scottish Ministers and the Advocate-General for Scotland, which was a human rights challenge to the first Act passed by the Scottish Parliament, the Mental Health (Public Safety and Appeals) (Scotland) Act 1999. This case was heard over four days in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in July 2001 and followed my appearance personally in the case in the Inner House, heard over several days in May 2000.
	The second case was Kenneth Anthony Paton Mills and John Cochrane v. Her Majesty's Advocate and the Advocate-General for Scotland which was heard in the Appeal Court, High Court of Justiciary in August 2001. My interest in this case was to determine questions concerning the interrelationship of the Scotland Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Correspondence

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General how many pieces of correspondence her office has answered from non-government sources since the general election.

Lynda Clark: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General how many (a) advocates and (b) solicitors have been employed in the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General in each year since the creation of her office.

Lynda Clark: In the years 1999–2000 the complement of the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General was 14 lawyers. In 2001 this increased to 16 lawyers. In each year one lawyer was an advocate and the rest solicitors.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent by (a) her Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years.

Ivan Lewis: Expenditure by the Department on campaign extension activities through external public relations consultancies in the past four years is as follows. Information on expenditure by the Department's agencies is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Year   Campaign  Consultancy Spend (£000) 
		
		
			 1999 Reading and Literacy Hill and Knowlton (1)620 
			 2000 Maths Year COI 16 
			 2000 Childcare helpline COI 1 
			 2000 Connexions Kinross and Render 4 
			 2000 Don't quit now Beer Davies 196 
			 2000 UK Online centres Geronimo 63 
			 2001 UK Online centres Geronimo 52 
			 2001 New Deal Hill and Knowlton 46 
			 2001 Connexions Kinross and Render 42 
			 2001 Foundation Degrees QBO 114 
			 2001 Childcare Recruitment Barclay Stratton 90 
			 2001 Work Life Balance Fishburn Hedges 89 
			 2001 Individual Learning Accounts Shandwick International 110 
			 2001 Widening Participation in Higher Education Harrison Cowley 62 
			 2002 Adult Basics Skills Fishburn Hedges (2)103 
			 2002 Work Life Balance Fishburn Hedges 217 
			 2002 UK Online Geronimo (2)90 
			 2002 Aim Higher Geronimo (2)100 
		
	
	(1) Figure includes general publicity activity, on organising roadshows and events, in addition to campaign extension work. A breakdown between categories is not available.
	(2) On-going campaign—figure shown is anticipated spend for year.

Market Research

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non- departmental public bodies in each of the last four years on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each.

Ivan Lewis: The Department commissions tightly focused market research to help develop and evaluate publicity campaigns. The spend in recent years was:
	
		
			   £ 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,408,908 
			 1999–2000 1,687,050 
			 2000–01 2,340,222 
			 2001–02(3) 1,256,121 
		
	
	(3) To January 2002
	It would be possible to list every one of these research projects only at disproportionate cost. However, some recent campaigns where strategic communications research or creative development research have been commissioned include the drive to widen participation in higher education, by encouraging under-represented groups to take up this option, the promotion of the relevance of science to teenagers, as part of Science Year, the child care recruitment campaign, the campaign to help those adults with basic skills gaps, and the promotion of foundation degrees and modern apprenticeships.This research is subject to the usual strict rules that spending must represent good value for the tax payer and must not be used for party political purposes.
	The Department also conducts research to help us understand the education, skills and communication needs of our customers. It has sampled and consulted on the views of teachers, parents and other groups affected by the Department's policies on specific issues. For example, the project "Causes of truancy by pupils of compulsory school age" gathers the views of pupils, parents, school and LEA staff on the causes of truancy and what measures could be taken to address the issue. One of the aims is to examine the issue of absence that is condoned by parents. "A longitudinal study of factors contributing to variations in teacher effectiveness" will investigate the factors which contribute to the effectiveness of teachers at different stages of their career, working in a range of schools in different contexts, and how this changes over time. Part of this study is to track 300 teachers over three years measuring their effectiveness by pupil outcome measures and other qualitative techniques. Again it would not be possible to give details of every project without disproportionate cost.
	Information about opinion polls, focus groups and other forms of research commissioned by the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.

Refurbishment

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated cost of buildings refurbishment carried out in my Department in each of the last four years is as follows:
	
		£ 
		
			   Estimated cost 
		
		
			 2000–01 4,604,749 
			 1999–2000 3,928,406 
			 1998–99 2,970,093 
			 1997–98 (4)— 
		
	
	(4) Unfortunately this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by her Department since August 2001; and if she will list those produced (a) following initial consultation with affected parties about the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) which set out full commercial impacts, including profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in Good Policy Making.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 483W.

Specialist Designation

Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether there is a barrier to a school's PFI partner sponsoring a bid for technology status by that school.

John Healey: As stated in the criteria set out in the published guidance documents for each specialism, a PFI partner may provide all or part of the £50,000 sponsorship required to support a school's application for designation as a specialist school.

Pupil Mobility

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of pupil mobility on educational attainment.

Ivan Lewis: The Department and the Nuffield Foundation supported a research project into pupil mobility, its effect on schools and educational attainment, conducted by the Migration Research Unit at University College London. The project was concluded in June 2000 and the final report published in September 2000. The first part of the research 'Pupil Mobility in Schools' is available from DfES Publications. The second part is available in full on the internet at www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/mru.

Teachers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 426W, if she will break down the figures by vacancies in (a) nursery, (b) primary, (c) secondary and (d) special schools; and what the equivalent figures are for England.

Stephen Timms: Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools reported by the Buckinghamshire local authority were as follows:
	
		
			   January 1998 January 2001 
		
		
			 Nursery 0 0 
			 Primary 10 21 
			 Secondary 14 33 
			 Special 11 5 
			  
			 Total 35 59 
		
	
	Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England were as follows:
	
		
			  January 1998 January 2001 
		
		
			 Nursery 69 103 
			 Primary 1,322 2,007 
			 Secondary 968 2,586 
			 Special 233 280 
			  
			 Total 2,592 4,976

Specialist Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish her latest estimates of the percentage of secondary school pupils who are in specialist schools in each local education authority area in England; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 23 January 2002
	The available information is shown in the table.
	
		Percentage of secondary school pupils who attend specialist maintained secondary schools by local education authority(5)
		
			 LEA Pupils aged 11+ in specialist maintained secondary schools Pupils aged 11+ in all maintained secondary schools Percentage of pupils aged 11+ in specialist maintained secondary schools 
		
		
			 Wandsworth 6,395 9,944 64.3 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 10,138 16,318 62.1 
			 West Berkshire 7,033 11,740 59.9 
			 Gateshead 7,025 12,043 58.3 
			 Hackney 4,411 7,921 55.7 
			 York 4,929 9,972 49.4 
			 Darlington 2,953 6,009 49.1 
			 North Somerset 5,891 12,268 48.0 
			 Cornwall 13,685 32,000 42.8 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 5,218 12,270 42.5 
			 Camden 4,544 10,868 41.8 
			 Greenwich 5,767 13,834 41.7 
			 Ealing 6,163 15,088 40.8 
			 Durham 13,116 32,158 40.8 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 5,070 12,792 39.6 
			 Bournemouth 3,800 9,768 38.9 
			 Newham 6,667 17,469 38.2 
			 Milton Keynes 4,465 12,058 37.0 
			 Wigan 7,716 20,854 37.0 
			 Birmingham 25,401 69,037 36.8 
			 Bradford 12,539 34,214 36.6 
			 Hartlepool 2,409 6,679 36.1 
			 Plymouth 6,786 18,823 36.1 
			 Gloucestershire 13,718 38,146 36.0 
			 Northumberland 8,075 22,855 35.3 
			 Manchester 8,227 23,472 35.1 
			 Rutland 789 2,254 35.0 
			 Wiltshire 9,570 27,383 34.9 
			 Cambridgeshire 10,625 30,916 34.4 
			 St. Helens 4,167 12,159 34.3 
			 Northamptonshire 14,932 44,161 33.8 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,709 11,079 33.5 
			 Redbridge 6,301 18,868 33.4 
			 Lambeth 2,398 7,208 33.3 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 7,333 22,627 32.4 
			 Rochdale 4,583 14,153 32.4 
			 Lincolnshire 14,210 44,166 32.2 
			 Sheffield 9,596 29,861 32.1 
			 Wakefield 6,758 21,279 31.8 
			 Trafford 5,000 15,844 31.6 
			 East Sussex 8,686 27,805 31.2 
			 Knowsley 3,160 10,240 30.9 
			 Norfolk 13,712 44,896 30.5 
			 Warrington 4,192 13,833 30.3 
			 Leicester 5,436 18,031 30.1 
			 Leicestershire 13,014 43,184 30.1 
			 Oxfordshire 10,694 36,002 29.7 
			 Dorset 7,474 25,163 29.7 
			 Bromley 6,269 21,227 29.5 
			 Poole 2,321 7,864 29.5 
			 Liverpool 9,819 33,470 29.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 4,049 14,086 28.7 
			 Suffolk 12,537 44,056 28.5 
			 Wolverhampton 4,694 16,540 28.4 
			 Blackpool 2,203 7,823 28.2 
			 North Tyneside 3,521 12,511 28.1 
			 Surrey 15,892 56,626 28.1 
			 Bolton 5,363 19,145 28.0 
			 Essex 23,989 86,260 27.8 
			 North East Lincolnshire 3,263 11,734 27.8 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 4,446 16,012 27.8 
			 Buckinghamshire 9,215 33,255 27.7 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,933 10,649 27.5 
			 South Gloucestershire 4,473 16,440 27.2 
			 West Sussex 11,545 42,454 27.2 
			 Isle of Wight 2,356 8,858 26.6 
			 Brent 3,846 14,473 26.6 
			 South Tyneside 2,680 10,508 25.5 
			 Cumbria 8,581 33,743 25.4 
			 Derby 3,739 14,748 25.4 
			 Southend-on-Sea 2,836 11,363 25.0 
			 Rotherham 4,910 19,845 24.7 
			 Middlesbrough 2,119 8,572 24.7 
			 Sunderland 4,823 19,837 24.3 
			 Coventry 5,091 20,963 24.3 
			 Kirklees 6,070 25,084 24.2 
			 Somerset 6,966 28,849 24.1 
			 Islington 1,814 7,581 23.9 
			 Brighton and Hove 2,872 12,026 23.9 
			 Wirral 5,759 24,181 23.8 
			 Hillingdon 3,869 16,470 23.5 
			 Derbyshire 11,201 47,868 23.4 
			 Halton 2,017 8,688 23.2 
			 Waltham Forest 2,997 12,979 23.1 
			 Shropshire 4,074 17,657 23.1 
			 Devon 9,034 39,814 22.7 
			 Worcestershire 7,638 33,843 22.6 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2,143 9,501 22.6 
			 Lancashire 16,800 74,964 22.4 
			 Westminster 1,777 8,019 22.2 
			 Medway 4,363 19,837 22.0 
			 North Yorkshire 8,699 40,087 21.7 
			 Reading 1,346 6,349 21.2 
			 Leeds 9,799 47,168 20.8 
			 Herefordshire 2,031 9,823 20.7 
			 Swindon 2,358 11,561 20.4 
			 Wokingham 2,186 10,760 20.3 
			 Luton 2,446 12,073 20.3 
			 Peterborough 2,582 12,960 19.9 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 2,870 14,831 19.4 
			 Sefton 3,893 20,671 18.8 
			 Slough 1,483 7,924 18.7 
			 Southwark 1,844 10,220 18.0 
			 Bristol, City of 3,082 17,902 17.2 
			 Stockport 2,791 16,575 16.8 
			 Barnet 3,501 21,064 16.6 
			 Sandwell 3,240 19,532 16.6 
			 Walsall 3,476 21,382 16.3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,150 7,101 16.2 
			 Warwickshire 5,108 32,658 15.6 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1,601 10,258 15.6 
			 Hounslow 2,526 16,286 15.5 
			 Solihull 2,398 15,586 15.4 
			 Tameside 2,357 15,368 15.3 
			 Nottingham 2,115 13,910 15.2 
			 Hertfordshire 11,173 74,566 15.0 
			 Salford 1,874 12,524 15.0 
			 Kent 13,541 92,264 14.7 
			 Oldham 2,398 16,825 14.3 
			 Haringey 1,557 11,391 13.7 
			 Havering 2,068 15,903 13.0 
			 Portsmouth 1,271 10,108 12.6 
			 Thurrock 1,004 8,124 12.4 
			 Hampshire 8,632 70,604 12.2 
			 Cheshire 5,651 46,234 12.2 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1,221 10,351 11.8 
			 Torbay 1,013 8,704 11.6 
			 Nottinghamshire 5,926 53,560 11.1 
			 Staffordshire 5,347 57,451 9.3 
			 Calderdale 1,358 14,882 9.1 
			 Sutton 1,134 14,572 7.8 
			 Barnsley 847 13,134 6.4 
			 Croydon 1,081 17,394 6.2 
			 Bedfordshire 1,516 27,263 5.6 
			 Bexley 823 17,461 4.7 
			 Dudley 585 20,290 2.9 
		
	
	(5) As at January 2001
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	The provisional 2002 data will be available in late spring.

Specialist Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools have received assistance from public funds in order to raise the money needed to submit a development plan; how many have received assistance of (a) £1 to £5,000, (b) £5,001 to £15,000, (c) £15,001 to £25,000, and (d) over £25,000; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 23 January 2002
	No public sector funds may be counted towards the sponsorship supporting a specialist school application. No data are held centrally on the extent of public support—such as from LEAs—for the preparation of applications for specialist school status.

Independent Schools

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the independent schools removed from the register of independent schools in each year from 1996.

Stephen Timms: Since 1996 the following schools have been deleted from the register of independent schools as a result of failure to comply with a Notice of Complaint:
	1998
	Jameah Islameyah, East Sussex
	1999
	Grange House, Herefordshire
	Kensington International, London
	2000
	Bright Sparks Theatre School, London
	Al Jamea Al Islamia, Manchester
	2001
	Thomas Francis, London.

Correspondence

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough's question of 18 December 2001 concerning asset management plans.

John Healey: A reply was issued to the hon. Member on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 446W.

Revenue Funding

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total amount of revenue funding available for children in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools has been in the last five years in (i) Durham, (ii) South Tyneside and (iii) Hampshire.

Stephen Timms: The following tables contain the information requested:
	
		Durham -- £
		
			  Cash Real terms—prices 2000–01  
			  SSA Grants Total SSA Grants Total 
		
		
			 Primary   
			 1997–98 2,040 40 2,080 2,190 40 2,230 
			 1998–99 2,160 60 2,220 2,250 60 2,310 
			 1999–2000 2,280 140 2,420 2,320 140 2,460 
			 2000–01 2,390 320 2,710 2,390 320 2,710 
			 2001–02 2,490 590 3,080 2,430 570 3,000 
			 Change(6) 450 550 1,000 240 530 770 
			
			 Secondary   
			 1997–98 2,680 30 2,720 2,880 40 2,910 
			 1998–99 2,820 50 2,870 2,940 50 2,990 
			 1999–2000 2,940 100 3,040 2,990 100 3,090 
			 2000–01 3,090 240 3,340 3,090 240 3,340 
			 2001–02 3,220 410 3,630 3,140 400 3,540 
			 Change(6) 530 380 910 260 370 630 
		
	
	
		South Tyneside -- £
		
			  Cash Real terms—prices 2000–01  
			  SSA Grants Total SSA Grants Total 
		
		
			 Primary   
			 1997–98 1,210 40 2,160 2,270 50 2,320 
			 1998–99 2,230 70 2,300 2,330 70 2,400 
			 1999–2000 2,360 150 2,510 2,400 150 2,550 
			 2000–01 2,470 360 2,830 2,470 360 2,830 
			 2001–02 2,580 670 3,250 2,510 650 3,170 
			 Change(6) 450 630 1,080 240 610 850 
			
			 Secondary   
			 1997–98 2,780 40 2,820 2,980 40 3,020 
			 1998–99 2,900 60 2,960 3,020 60 3,080 
			 1999–2000 3,020 110 3,130 3,080 110 3,180 
			 2000–01 3,180 270 3,450 3,180 270 3,450 
			 2001–02 3,310 460 3,770 3,230 450 3,680 
			 Change(6) 540 420 950 260 410 660 
		
	
	
		Hampshire -- £
		
			  Cash Real terms—prices 2000–01  
			  SSA Grants Total SSA Grants Total 
		
		
			 Primary   
			 1997–98 2,010 30 2,030 2,150 30 2,180 
			 1998–99 2,120 30 2,150 2,210 30 2,240 
			 1999–2000 2,230 80 2,310 2,270 80 2,350 
			 2000–01 2,330 220 2,550 2,330 220 2,550 
			 2001–02 2,450 390 2,840 2,390 390 2,770 
			 Change(6) 440 360 810 240 360 590 
			
			 Secondary   
			 1997–98 2,630 20 2,650 2,820 30 2,840 
			 1998–99 2,780 30 2,800 2,890 30 2,920 
			 1999–2000 2,870 60 2,930 2,920 60 2,980 
			 2000–01 3,010 170 3,190 3,010 170 3,190 
			 2001–02 3,170 280 3,450 3,090 280 3,370 
			 Change(6) 540 260 800 270 250 520 
		
	
	(6) Change since 1997–98
	Notes:
	1. The figures reflect Education SSA (primary and secondary sub-blocks respectively) plus all school related revenue grants in the DfES's DEL relevant aged 5–10 (primary) and 11–15 (secondary).
	2. The primary and secondary grant figures include notional allocations for those grants in support of more than one sector.
	3. Pupil numbers underlying the £ per pupil figures are those underlying the SSA settlement calculations (primary and secondary sub-blocks respectively.
	4. Real terms figures are calculated using GDP deflators published by the Treasury 20 December 2001.
	5. 2001–02 figures are provisional as decisions on some funding allocations have yet to be finalised. The figures are thus liable to be revised later in the year.
	6. Figures rounded to nearest £10. Difference figures may not sum due to rounding.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Translation Services

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what translation services he ensures are available to (a) Benefits Agency and (b) Employment Service staff in (i) England and (ii) Staffordshire.

Nick Brown: In both the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service, throughout Great Britain, we will provide an interpreter for customers who do not speak English and who either cannot or do not wish to provide their own interpreter. This service is provided through either a multilingual member of staff; local services, for example, community interpreters, local authority services or colleges; or the telephone interpreting service provided by Language Line.
	We also have an internal translation service for translating documents both into English and into foreign languages. This is supplemented by a rapid translation service on a text-to-speech basis when a quick translation of a document in a foreign language is needed. Local offices also have the freedom to use community based translation services if they are available and convenient.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will quantify the public service agreement target for employment over the economic cycle.

Nick Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 December 2001, Official Report, columns 777–79W.

Jobcentre Plus

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the national staffing requirements for Jobcentre Plus, and the average wage per employee will be; what the combined national staffing requirements were for the Benefits Agency and Employment Service, and the average wage per employee; and what will happen to employees that are surplus to the Jobcentre Plus staffing requirements.

Nick Brown: Currently some 112,000 employees work in the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service. The average salary per employee is approximately £15,080.
	We will begin rolling out Jobcentre Plus nationally from 2002. Local staffing requirements for Jobcentre Plus will be determined as part of this process. The chief executives of the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service wrote to all staff on 23 April 2001. They reassured staff that a key aim in developing plans for Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service would be to enable all current staff to have a job in the new organisations or one of the other agencies in the Department.

Jobcentre Plus

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what is the value of the extra investment in help to the unemployed represented by the new Jobcentre Plus pilot offices in Inverclyde.

Nick Brown: £122 million has been invested in the current financial year to establish the Jobcentre Plus Pathfinder offices. Because much of this investment, for example on IT and communications, has been spent on the Pathfinder offices collectively it is not possible to identify the total investment separately in respect of the offices in Inverclyde. However, a total of around £3.6 million has been spent on improving the physical environment of the Greenock and Port Glasgow Pathfinder offices.

Industrial Action

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of letters that (a) his Department and its agencies, (b) Employment Service offices, (c) Benefits Agency offices and (d) Jobcentre Plus offices have written to individuals citing delays in (i) interviews, (ii) processing claims and (iii) claim reviews, which have resulted from the current industrial action.

Nick Brown: Information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The contingency plans put in place during the dispute, allied to the fact that the great majority of staff are working normally, have enabled us to maintain a near normal service with minimal delays.

Industrial Action

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of complaints that (a) his Department and its agencies, (b) Employment Service offices, (c) Benefits Agency offices and (d) Jobcentre Plus offices have received which relate to the current industrial action.

Nick Brown: It is not possible to estimate the number of complaints received at area or regional level as a result of the industrial action, as these data have not been collected separately during the course of the dispute.
	Centrally, where data are available, we have no record of any such complaints being received from customers.

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of incapacity benefit claimants who have been required to attend repeat Benefits Agency medical assessment in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of incapacity benefit claimants who have lost their entitlement as a result of a repeat Benefits Agency medical assessment in each of the last 12 months;
	(3)  if he will (a) estimate the number of incapacity benefit claimants transferred to a different benefit as a result of a repeat Benefits Agency medical assessment in each of the last 12 months and (b) provide a breakdown by each individual benefit to which they have been transferred.

Nick Brown: Information is not available in the format requested.

Incapacity Benefit

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the arrangements for transfer to incapacity benefit of unemployed persons of working age who are involved in one or more sickness incidents during a year.

Nick Brown: holding answer 23 January 2002
	A person who has been awarded jobseeker's allowance and is unable to work because of sickness may choose to remain on jobseeker's allowance for up to two weeks. This easement means that people who are incapable of work for short periods of time do not have to change the benefit they are claiming. It can normally be used on two occasions in each year of a job-seeking period. Where the easement does not apply an unemployed person who becomes incapable of work can claim incapacity benefit supported by medical evidence.
	We are now delivering a new business, Jobcentre Plus, to help all people of working age make the most of their opportunities. In the past, many people were moved on to incapacity benefit with little or no help to make sure they got the right level of support to enable them to get back into work, where they are ready and able to do so.
	All people making new and repeat claims to incapacity benefit in Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices are offered a work-focused meeting as a condition of receiving benefit. These meetings provide the opportunity for people to discuss their work options, as well as their benefit claim, and to investigate with their personal adviser the practical and financial support that is available to help them return to work.

Lone Mothers

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action the Government will take to facilitate the provision of (a) housing and (b) council tax benefit to lone mothers raising children on their own and not forming part of a married couple.

Malcolm Wicks: On 12 December we responded positively and in detail to the Better Regulation Task Force report "Housing Benefit: A Case Study of Lone Parents". Our response set out the measures already under way and those planned to ease lone parents' path back into work and provide security for those for whom work is not an immediate option.
	A copy of our response has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/20001/index/htm.

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to PQ 01/20232 and PQ 01/20233, 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 687W, if he will publish the syllabi of the training programmes mentioned and the advice to medical service doctors.

Nick Brown: A copy of the contents of the relevant training modules has been placed in the Library.

Newspaper Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what has been the expenditure of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997.

Nick Brown: The Department and its agencies use advertising for various reasons ranging from public information and recruitment to advertising opening hours of local offices. For each occasion national and/or regional media may be used as well as hundreds of local papers.
	A breakdown of expenditure on newspaper advertising by title could therefore be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Pension Funds

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received concerning the value of pension funds since 1 January 2001.

Ian McCartney: The Department has frequent discussions with representatives of the pensions industry which cover a range of issues. We also receive a large number of pieces of correspondence concerning a range of pensions issues.

Pension Funds

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average delay was in making payment to state earnings related pension schemes for contributions due in the year to April 2001; what the figure was in each year since the scheme was introduced; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

ME

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to the Benefits Agency concerning the acceptance of a clinical diagnosis of ME as grounds for an entitlement to benefit.

Nick Brown: We recognise the chronic fatigue syndromes (including ME) as potentially debilitating illnesses. Where a clinical diagnosis of CFS has been made, full account is taken of the resultant care and mobility needs in disability living allowance or its effect on the prescribed activities in the personal capability assessment for incapacity benefits.

New Deal

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the funding arrangements due to come into voluntary operation on 1 April about the sector option of New Deal.

Nick Brown: holding answer 17 January 2002
	New arrangements for funding providers on a formula basis will be introduced throughout the new deal for young people, including the voluntary sector option on 1 April 2002. This approach fulfils the commitments made following the 1999 "Learning to Succeed" White Paper to ensure a common approach to the funding of all post-16 learning.
	I have received representations from two organisations on these new arrangements. The Employment Service is continuing discussions on the new funding arrangements with its existing contractors.

Winter Fuel Allowance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 589, how people can apply for backdated winter fuel payments; and whether the procedure differs according to the year to which the claim relates.

Ian McCartney: Backdated winter fuel payments are only available for the first three winters of the scheme, 1997–1998, 1998–1999 and 1999–2000. Claim forms are available by either ringing the winter fuel payment helpline on 08459 151515 and requesting one, or from the Department for Work and Pensions' website at www.dwp.gov.uk/winterfuel. The procedure for claiming for each of the three years is the same.

Benefit Systems

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, columns 896–97W, when the Statutory Instrument referred to was revoked; and for what reason his answer does not refer to the Statutory Instrument currently in force.

Malcolm Wicks: The Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators Order 2000, SI 2000 No. 896 referred to in my answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, columns 896–97W contains Best Value Performance Indicators for 2000–01. The order was not revoked but was superseded by the Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators and Performance Standards Order 2001, SI 2001 No. 724 which contains Best Value Performance Indicators for 2001–02 and is currently in force. My answer did not refer to this statutory instrument because the hon. Member did not ask for details of the Best Value Performance Indicators for the current year.

Stakeholder Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how often, on average, people with stakeholder pensions make contributions towards their pension.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available.

Medical Assessment Services

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on recent changes in the standards for delivery of medical assessment services contracted by his Department.

Nick Brown: holding answer 23 January 2002
	Over the last quarter, October to December 2001, service delivery in all key areas of the Medical Services Contract has improved. The volume of examinations which have been completed is significantly higher than in the same period last year and examinations are being arranged more promptly. The proportion of customers seen within 10 minutes of their appointment time has risen, and the number being sent home unseen has reduced. Special needs indicated by customers, such as interpreter services, are being met. The training, medical quality, and customer service targets set by the Government in their response to the Social Security Select Committee inquiry into Medical Services all are being met.

TREASURY

Insider Trading

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been prosecuted for insider dealing in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department of Trade and Industry has prosecuted 30 people for insider dealing offences since 1 January 1992. The breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number of people 
		
		
			 1992 6 
			 1993 3 
			 1994 2 
			 1995 1 
			 1996 4 
			 1997 — 
			 1998 — 
			 1999 — 
			 2000 7 
			 2001 4 
			 2002 (7)3 
		
	
	(7) Cases not yet completed.

National Insurance Contributions

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases in the last year direct debits of national insurance contributions by self-employed persons suspended during payment of incapacity benefit have not been resumed following the termination of payment of incapacity benefit by reason of technical problems with the National Insurance Contributions Office replacement computer system; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 11 December 2001
	There is no evidence to show that resumption of collection of national insurance contributions by direct debit in these circumstances failed because of technical problems with the National Insurance Contributions Office's replacement computer system.

Duty-Free Shopping

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on job numbers of the ending of duty-free shopping within the EU.

Paul Boateng: No estimate has been made.

Temporary Contracts

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees in (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of (i) 51 weeks or (ii) less than 51 weeks' duration in this year and each of the past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total workforce these employees constitute.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested is given in the table:
	
		Staff in post numbers
		
			 Year 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001 
		
		
			 HMT   
			 Casual 18 10 36 27 35 20 
			 Percentage of staff 1.9 1.1 3.9 2.9 4 1.9 
			
			 National Savings   
			 Casual (8)— (8)— (8)— (8)— 13 3 
			 Percentage of staff (8)— (8)— (8)— (8)— 15 3 
			
			 Debt Management Office   
			 Casual (9)— (9)— (9)— (9)— 3 (9)— 
			 Percentage of staff (9)— (9)— (9)— (9)— 5.5 (9)— 
			
			 Royal Mint   
			 Casual staff 63 16 131 165 115 18 
			 Percentage of Staff 6.5 1.6 12.7 15.5 11.5 1.7 
			
			 Office for National Statistics   
			 Casual staff (8)— 6 3 8 13 12 
			 Percentage of staff (8)— 4.3 2.8 4.8 6.1 5.5 
			
			 Office of Government Commerce   
			 Casuals (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— 33 36 
			 Percentage of Staff (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— 6.9 8.4 
		
	
	(8) No data available
	(9) No casuals
	(10) Agency not formed
	Note:
	Data relate to figures of casual staff on contracts of less than 51 weeks

Warehoused Goods Regulations

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01 an owner of warehoused goods failed to comply with the Warehouses and Owners of Warehouse Goods Regulations 1999.

Paul Boateng: The central record holds details of rejections at application and revocation action only. The numbers are as follows:
	1999–2000
	Revocations—1
	Rejections at registration—0
	2000–01
	Revocations—14
	Rejections at registration—38.
	None were revoked solely due to breaches of conditions. Minor compliance breaches that do not result in revocation are not recorded centrally, as it would be time consuming and costly to gather that information.

Digitised Products (Taxation)

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals the Government are making within the European Community for alternatives to the Commission's paper COM (2000) 349.

Paul Boateng: As part of on-going EU discussions on the taxation of digitised products supplied to consumers, the Government have consistently argued that, in the medium term, an electronic solution should be introduced for charging, collecting and distributing the tax due on these supplies in the place where they are consumed, and that any short-term solution should be both temporary and simple to administer. We are confident that final agreement will soon be reached on this basis.

Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers received the draft Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review report containing the paragraph on resources cited in paragraph 9.3 of the Rogues report.

Paul Boateng: The draft report was submitted to the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and discussed by Treasury Ministers. Consideration of the resourcing implications was subsequently taken forward as part of the 1998 spending round in the normal way.

Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recommendations of HM Customs and Excise on the level of additional resources needed to combat fraud and evasion that were contained in the draft Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review and quoted in paragraph 9.3 of the Rogues report.

Paul Boateng: Consideration of the resourcing implications of the Review was taken forward as part of the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). The CSR settlement included an additional £35 million to fund more than 100 extra officers at the ports to tackle the problem of alcohol and tobacco fraud and smuggling.

Comprehensive Spending Review

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to consult service users on options and priorities for the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Andrew Smith: The Government consult a wide range of interests in setting their priorities, including, importantly, service users.

Market Research

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what expenditure has been incurred by his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 29 January 2001, Official Report, column 42W.
	Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Young People (Income Tax and National Insurance)

Matthew Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of persons aged (a) 16 and (b) 17 years paid (i) income tax and (ii) national insurance in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much (a) income tax and (b) national insurance was received from persons aged (i) 16 and (ii) 17 years in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: Amounts of income tax liabilities from persons aged 16 and 17 are in the table.
	
		Income tax liabilities -- £ million
		
			   Aged 16 Aged 17 
		
		
			 1998–99 20 50 
			 1999–2000 10 40 
			 2000–01 10 40 
		
	
	Estimates (rounded to the nearest £10 million) are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the November 2001 pre-Budget report. I regret that it is not possible to provide reliable estimates for earlier years.
	Estimates for amounts of class 1 primary national insurance contribution (NIC) liabilities from persons aged 16 and 17 are in the table.
	
		UK class 1 primary NIC -- £ million
		
			  Aged 16 Aged 17 
		
		
			 1996–97 10 30 
			 1997–98 10 30 
			 1998–99 10 30 
			 1999–2000 10 30 
			 2000–01 10 20 
		
	
	Estimates provided by the Government Actuary's Department and rounded to the nearest £10 million.
	Available estimates for the number of income taxpayers aged 16 and 17 as a percentage of the total population of 16 and 17-year-olds are in the table.
	
		Percentage 
		
			  Number of 16-year-old taxpayers as a percentage of all 16-year-olds Number of 17-year-old taxpayers as a percentage of all 17-year-olds 
		
		
			 1998–99 4 11 
			 1999–2000 3 10 
			 2000–01 3 10 
		
	
	Taxpayer estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes. Population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
	Estimates for the number of NIC payers aged 16 and 17 as a percentage of the total population of 16 and 17-year-olds are in the table.
	
		Percentage 
		
			  Number of 16-year-old NIC payers as a percentage of all 16-year-olds Number of 17-year-old NIC payers as a percentage of all 17-year-olds 
		
		
			 1996–97 5 13 
			 1997–98 5 13 
			 1998–99 5 13 
			 1999–2000 5 14 
			 2000–01 4 11 
		
	
	Estimates were provided by the Government Actuary's Department. Population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
	All of the estimates are based on survey data and therefore subject to a margin of error particularly because of the relatively small sample sizes involved.

Green Technology Challenge

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  on what basis (a) air pollution from industry, (b) cleaning up polluted land, (c) oil spills, (d) waste treatment and (e) recycling are excluded from the Green Technology Challenge funding;
	(2)  for what reasons the decision was taken to limit the Green Technology Challenge to (a) clean fuels, (b) clean vehicle reduction in water use, (c) the improvement of water quality and (d) energy efficient technologies.

Paul Boateng: The Government provide support for environmental objectives through a wide range of policies. Proposals put forward in response to the consultation on setting up a Green Technology Challenge were assessed against the following criteria:
	the extent to which there is a market failure or a specific environmental problem that needs to be addressed through Government policy;
	the extent to which this problem is best dealt with through a fiscal instrument such as capital allowances and the objective cannot be better achieved through other Government policies;
	the effectiveness of offering enhanced capital allowances for investment in technologies in the environmental area in question.
	The Government's initial view is that other proposals put forward in response to the consultation do not meet the above criteria as well as the objectives announced. However, the Government will consider extending the scope of the scheme over time.

World Bank Loans

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with US Treasury spokesmen on replacing World bank loans to the world's poorest countries with grants.

Paul Boateng: The potential role of World bank grant finance is one of the issues being discussed in the context of the replenishment of the funds of the International Development Association (IDA, the concessional lending arm of the World bank), on which the Secretary of State for International Development leads. The Chancellor and Treasury officials have held discussions with the US Treasury and other countries to seek support for the UK position in these negotiations, which is that we should maintain and enhance the role of IDA as the largest source of concessional finance for low-income countries, and to encourage a substantial contribution by donors to the IDA replenishment.

VAT (Care Services)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost in the current financial year of altering the VAT treatment of fees paid by individuals to nursing homes and registered residential homes for the elderly to that of a zero rated VAT product; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 July 2001, Official Report, column 559W.

VAT (Care Services)

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects Customs and Excise to issue details of the proposed extra statutory concession in respect of VAT on supply of services agency workers for domiciliary care.

Paul Boateng: Details of the proposed extra statutory concession on the VAT liability of home care will be available when the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry lays before Parliament revised regulations governing the conduct of the private recruitment industry.

Sport

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the Promoting Sport in the Community consultation; to whom the consultation document was circulated and in what quantities; and what measures he is taking to ensure that the views of unpaid voluntary workers who work for Community Amateur Sports Clubs are taken into account.

Paul Boateng: A number of representations have been received concerning the "Promoting Sport in the Community" consultation document and consultation continues. Over 5,000 copies of the consultation document have been circulated to CASCs and their governing bodies, Sport England and the Central Council of Physical Recreation. The consultation document is also available on the Treasury public internet site. Given the diversity of the sector, the Government are keen that as many interested parties as possible will take the opportunity to respond, so that all views can be taken into account.

Census Data

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate has been made of the impact that the raising of the minimum threshold for publication of census data from 50 persons/20 households to 100 persons/40 parishes will have on the planning of services in rural areas;
	(2)  what measures the Office for National Statistics will take to assist authorities responsible for local planning where separate census data for individual parishes has been lost by the amalgamation of figures as a result of the increased minimum threshold;
	(3)  what representation he has received concerning the availability of 2001 census data at parish level;
	(4)  what representations he has received on the impact of the raised thresholds in the 2001 census on the planning of services in rural areas;
	(5)  if he will revert to the 1991 census threshold figure of 50 persons per household.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Miss Anne McIntosh, dated 25 January 2002
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent questions to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking:
	(i) what estimate has been made of the impact that raising of the minimum threshold for the publication of census data from 50 persons/20 households to 100 persons/40 parishes (sic) will have on the planning of services in rural areas (30193);
	(ii) what representation he has received concerning the availability of 2001 Census data at parish level (30156);
	(iii) what representations he has received on the impact of the raised threshold in the 2001 Census on planning services in rural areas (30155);
	(iv) if he will consider reverting to the 1991 Census threshold of '50 persons per household' (sic) (30157); and
	(v) what measures the Office for National Statistics will take to assist authorities responsible for local planning where separate census data for individual parishes has been lost by the amalgamation of figures as a result of the increased minimum threshold (30194).
	I will respond generally while covering the issues raised in each of the questions.
	Following a recent ONS Review of the measures to protect the confidentiality of personal information provided in the 2001 Census, I have announced some additional measures. These include a decision that standard statistical output (amounting to some 10,000 counts) will not be released for small areas below a certain population threshold, this being 100 resident persons and 40 resident households.
	The design of output areas from the 2001 Census will, however, recognise the need to identify parishes separately in the 2001 Census, but the number of parishes that fall below this threshold will not be known until the processing of data is completed later this year. From information from the 1991 Census, however, it is estimated that some 1,230 parishes in England would have fallen below the 2001 Census threshold.
	Nevertheless, the average size of output areas in the 2001 Census will be significantly smaller than in the 1991 Census, facilitating greater geographical flexibility overall in using Census output. The resulting increased amount of detail to be made available from the 2001 Census will assist in the better planning of local services.
	I have listened carefully to the views expressed throughout extensive consultation on output requirements from the Census. The Review was fully aware of, and considered carefully, all the requirements for output, including those for parishes, that users had articulated during the course of wide and extensive consultation with all local authorities and other users.
	Following the initial announcement last November of my decision to introduce these additional disclosure control measures, I received a number of representations including six from local government bodies expressing particular concerns about the impact of the raised threshold on the availability of 2001 Census data for parishes. In addition, I have recently answered two Parliamentary Questions from the right hon. David Curry MP (nos. 28863 and 28862) on the subject.
	I am, of course, keen to ensure that users will obtain the maximum benefit from the use of 2001 Census data. To this end, I invited representatives from the census-user community to a meeting on 13 December 2001 at which we were able to discuss further the specific issues that users had raised including the particular issue about sub-threshold parishes. At that meeting I explained that as Registrar General and National Statistician, I have an obligation not to reveal information collected in confidence in the Census about individual people and households. Indeed, I have given public assurances that I will not do so. In presenting increasingly detailed results from the Census, protecting personal information is of paramount importance.
	Maintaining the confidentiality of individual data underpins the trust that exists between data suppliers and any agency that acts as custodian of information about them. At ONS we are fortunate that businesses and the public have confidence that their information is securely held and that we do not release any data that could identify an individual. It is essential that this trust be maintained. The 2001 Census Discussion Paper on Standard Area Statistics (September 2001) noted that the confidentiality threshold being proposed at that time was 50 persons and 20 resident households, but that disclosure control measures were under review as part of an ONS-wide programme of methods and quality. The recent Review was conducted to explore whether or not the measures that were in place would maintain this trust.
	The Review considered whether or not the measures initially proposed protected against both real and perceived disclosure. In particular it considered:
	(a) the level of statistical detail in the proposed tables;
	(b) the level of geography for which the tables would be produced;
	(c) the increased availability of the data; and
	(d) the proliferation of other datasets against which Census data could be matched.
	On the basis of this Review I decided that an additional measure of rounding all cells to either zero or a multiple of 3, should be introduced for all tables to be produced for England and Wales, and that the population threshold for Output Areas be raised to 100 resident persons and 40 resident households for the release of Census Area Statistics.
	These measures, together with a data modification measure ('record swapping') already announced, will protect against not only the real risk of disclosure but also, and equally as important, the risk perceived, by the very public about whom the information refers, of disclosure that may arise in output table cells containing counts of '1'. Without these additional measures the risk of perceived disclosure would have been substantially higher. Once formed, any such public perceptions would be difficult to dislodge and would, I believe, damage the integrity of all census output.
	In the circumstances I do not propose reverting to the threshold adopted for the release of small area statistics in the 1991 Census of 50 persons and 16 resident households.
	We agreed at the meeting on 13 December, however, that the ONS and those present representing the user community would work closely together to minimise the impact that the rounding and increased threshold will have on the data and its uses. In particular, the ONS will consider further what summary output for 'sub-threshold parishes'—in the form of simple statistical profiles, for example—may be safely produced from the 2001 Census, in addition to some basic headcounts that have already been agreed.
	A note on that meeting has been posted on the ONS website, and a paper giving further background into the decision and the method, and addressing the consequences and issues raised at the meeting and elsewhere, will be produced shortly.

Taper Relief

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the increase in business investment due to taper relief in each year since its introduction; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: No such estimate is available. We intend to evaluate taper relief once the system has had more time for its effects to become measurable.

Working Families Tax Credit

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Barnsley, East and Mexborough are benefiting from the implementation of the working families tax credit.

Frank Roy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Motherwell and Wishaw are benefiting from the implementation of the working families tax credit.

Ivan Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families within the Harwich constituency have taken advantage of the working families tax credit to date.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friends to my answer to the hon. Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 293W.

Public-private Partnerships

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the technical guidance given to civil servants in his Department on how to define PPPs as finance or operating leases; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: Copies of the Treasury document "Technical Note No.1 (revised)—How to Account for Private Finance Initiative (PFI) transactions" have been placed in the Library. The document sets out additional practical guidance on how to apply the Accounting Standards Board's Application Note "Amendment to Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 5—Private Finance Initiative and Similar Contracts" and the requirement in the Treasury's "Resource Accounting Manual" that all complex transactions should be accounted for under the overriding principles of FRS5.

Construction Industry

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what criteria the Inland Revenue determines which firms in the construction industry are subject to an investigation of the employment status of their work force.

Dawn Primarolo: The criteria are the same as they are for firms who do not operate in the construction industry. The Inland Revenue select firms in three different ways: a proportion is selected randomly, a proportion is selected using pre-selected criteria, and a proportion is selected using risk analysis. The Inland Revenue do not publish the pre-selected and risk criteria they use, as publication may undermine their compliance strategy.

Construction Industry

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits have been made by the Inland Revenue compliance staff to firms in the construction industry to investigate the employment status of their workforce; and how many investigations have been deemed successful, in each year since 1997, broken down by region.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. Employment status examinations will often form part of a general review of employer compliance issues. Details of the employment status examinations may not be recorded separately.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Correspondence

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ask the Parliamentary Secretary for her Department in the House of Lords, to answer the letters of 13 August and 13 September, Reference H/DEFRA/FM/Snell/130901 from the hon. Member for Hereford; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 9 November 2001
	A response to the hon. Member's letters of 13 August and 13 September was sent on 16 January 2002.

Correspondence

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the correspondence from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed to the Minister for the Environment dated 19 July and 14 September relating to representations from Mr. A. Hodgson of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 3 December 2001
	A response to Mr. Hodgson's letter of 11 July was sent on 21 January. A copy of this response was sent to the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on 23 January. I apologise for the long delay in replying.

Correspondence

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department will clear outstanding correspondence with hon. Members.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all Members of Parliament on 14 November 2001 setting out her assessment of the current problems on correspondence. The Department suffered severe disruption last year due to allocating top priority to defeating the food and mouth epidemic. On top of this the sheer volume of correspondence received since the creation of DEFRA has had a major impact on the Department's performance. I accept this is not an adequate excuse for not giving hon. Members timely responses, and now that normality is returning to the Department one of our key priorities is to rectify weaknesses in our service delivery. The size of our correspondence section has increased threefold and the line management strengthened; our IT systems have been updated and are in the process of being further improved and new guidance has been circulated throughout the Department. These actions are already beginning to bear fruit and it is hoped that the last of the backlog cases will be dispatched over the next few weeks.

Correspondence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many letters from hon. Members to her Department did not receive substantive replies within (a) one month, (b) three months and (c) six months in 2001; and if she will make a statement on her Department's performance against targets in relation to response times to letters from hon. Members.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 23 January 2002
	Unfortunately our system is currently not sophisticated enough to produce these figures, although we are in the process of having it upgraded. However staff have conducted an extensive manual trawl which put the total for (a) at approximately 4,000 letters and the total for (b) at approximately 1,800 letters. For (c) 110 letters had not received a response after six months.
	The Secretary of State wrote to all Members of Parliament on 14 November setting out her assessment of the Department's current problems on correspondence. The Department suffered severe disruption last year due to allocating top priority to defeating the foot and mouth epidemic. On top of this the sheer volume of correspondence received since the creation of DEFRA had a major impact on the Department's performance, resulting in a large backlog of letters. I accept this is not an adequate excuse for not giving hon. Members timely responses, and now that normality is returning to the Department one of our key priorities is to rectify weaknesses in our service delivery and to meet our response time targets. The size of our correspondence section has increased threefold and the line management strengthened; our IT systems have been upgraded and are in the process of being further improved; and new guidance has been circulated throughout the Department. These actions are already beginning to bear fruit and it is hoped that over the next few weeks the system will be back at an even keel.

Fly Tipping

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 315W, if she will adopt a policy on fly tipping similar to that adopted by the National Assembly for Wales.

Michael Meacher: Fly tipping is a blight on our countryside and towns and is an antisocial activity wherever it takes place and whoever is responsible for it. The stringent controls in place to ensure that waste is dealt with properly apply both in England and Wales.
	The National Assembly for Wales (NAW) initiated a special drive against fly tipping. As part of this, the NAW voted £400,000 for a two year project, (running in the financial years 2000–01 and 2001–02) to support targeted waste enforcement. Three targeted enforcement teams were established. These teams work closely with other agency staff and other enforcement agencies such as the police, local authorities and the benefits agency. This has involved an intelligence led approach to enforcement, selectively targeting those activities that are of greatest impact to the environment.
	This campaign was in part a response to concerns that fly tipping was becoming a particular problem in Wales and as a result, the number of successful prosecutions has increased from 24 in 1999 at the start of the project to 48 in 2000. Similar improvements are expected for the year 2001 to 2002.
	The Environment Agency continues also to give the need to combat fly tipping a high priority in England. The agency is currently working to establish a central unit to co-ordinate the agency's approach to environmental crime.
	This unit will work with other key enforcement bodies such as the local authorities, police and HM Customs and Excise and will particularly bear down on fly tipping.
	Furthermore, the Fly Tipping Stakeholders' Forum, which comprises local authorities, business and landowners representatives, and is chaired by the Environment Agency, has produced a fly tipping guidance document, which provides information and guidance for all those who are affected and/or concerned by fly tipping. The document is available on the web at: http:// www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/wasteman/ flytip/
	A conference is planned for spring 2002 to help emphasise the role and activity of the forum.

Waste Disposal

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the likely charge per unit waste disposal authorities will make to householders for the disposal of (a) refrigerators, (b) deep-freezers, (c) fridge-freezers and (d) air conditioning units after 1 January 2002.

Michael Meacher: Waste disposal authorities have a statutory duty, under section 51(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to provide reasonably accessible sites where householders can dispose of their waste free of charge.
	Waste collection authorities have a statutory duty to arrange for the collection of household waste. However, they are entitled to impose a charge for collection for certain items, set out in Schedule 2 to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992. Charges vary considerably (with many local authorities not imposing a charge) and may include the collection of more than one bulky item. Charges are in the range of £0 to £35, with higher charges for those living in rural areas.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the chairmen of the independent inquiries into the consequences and lessons of the foot and mouth disease for their proposals for communications with hon. Members; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: I have met with the inquiries on a number of occasions to discuss a range of issues. I am aware that both the Royal Society inquiry and the Iain Anderson Lessons Learned inquiry provide regular updates on their dedicated websites. The Lessons Learned inquiry will shortly be writing to hon. Members to update them on progress.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what communications she has had with hon. Members drawing their attention to the commencement of the independent inquiry into the lessons to be learned from the foot and mouth epidemic; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In my statement to the House on 17 December I announced the start of the Lessons Learned inquiry to hon. Members. I welcome the start of this inquiry and confirm that the Department will co-operate fully with the independent inquiry process.

Foot and Mouth

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the uncompensated losses suffered by farmers through foot and mouth are; and how those losses are calculated.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	There are no statistics gathered on uncompensated losses and reliable estimates of these losses are not available at this stage. However DEFRA is working with a number of other Government Departments to prepare such an estimate and the results of this work will be made publicly available. We have carried out a survey of over 1,000 farms in FMD affected areas to collect information on the direct impact and their future intentions. The results of this survey will be published early in February.

Foot and Mouth

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the current situation regarding (a) foot and mouth disease and (b) other livestock-related diseases in Settle.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	Livestock related disease surveillance is carried out in the Settle area for DEFRA by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional laboratories at Thirsk and Preston. I understand that currently the reported incidence of livestock related disease in that area is normal for this time of year. North Yorkshire, like the whole of Great Britain, is now classified as free from FMD. However, it is important that farms and veterinarians remain vigilant.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made (a) to the European Commission and (b) to the OIE regarding the reinstatement of foot and mouth disease free status to the United Kingdom.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The European Commission have been kept fully informed of the position in the United Kingdom through monthly meetings of its Standing Veterinary Committee. Having received a report from the State Veterinary Service earlier this month that all counties in Great Britain are foot and mouth disease (FMD) free, the European Commission lifted all export controls except those on live sheep.
	My Department also submitted a report to the OIE which set out the work carried out to control the outbreak and invited the OIE to consider whether it was now in a position to restore the UK's FMD free status. This report was considered by the OIE's FMD commission on 22 January. The OIE commission agreed to restore the UK's "FMD free status without vaccination" for the purposes of international trade.
	The EU Standing Veterinary Committee is expected to return to the issue of live sheep exports at its 5–6 February meeting, in the light of the OIE decision.

Foot and Mouth

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of her Department's staff remain employed directly in dealing with the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease and consequential activity; how many of these staff members will be re-designated to activities associated with combating incidences of bovine tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: About 12 per cent. of the permanent staff in my Department, in offices across the country, are still employed in dealing with the foot and mouth epidemic and consequential activity. It is not possible to say how many of these staff would become available for work on bovine tuberculosis, but veterinary officer effort on bovine tuberculosis has already doubled between June and December last year.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the firms of contractors employed by her Department and its agencies to assist with clean-up work during the foot and mouth outbreak; and what payments were made from public funds in each case.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Over 1,200 contractors have been employed by the Department to undertake work, including that on secondary cleansing and disinfection. A complete list of all contractors was placed in the Library of the House on 15 October 2001.
	The final cost of all cleansing and disinfection is now estimated to be about £280 million, but the total amount being paid to all of the individual contractors has not yet been finalised.

Foot and Mouth

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of hill farmers who have recently left the industry as a result of foot and mouth disease; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: At present it is too early to assess the impact of foot and mouth disease on hill farmers.

Farm Subsidies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the contribution farm subsidies make in reducing the cost of food in the UK.

Elliot Morley: The only farm subsidies directly aimed at reducing the cost of food are consumer subsidies. However these constitute a very small element of the support mechanism and they do not significantly offset the higher prices consumers face from the CAP. The recent reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy, which have reduced the level of support to the market and increased direct payments to producers, have had the effect of substantially reducing the cost of agricultural support to consumers. However I estimate that in 2000 the overall cost of the CAP to food consumers and taxpayers was equivalent to £8 to £9 per week for a family of four.

Beam Trawlers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government are taking to monitor the damage caused to sea beds by beam trawlers; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) has studied the impacts of beam trawling on different sea bed habitats in the North and Irish seas since 1993 and compared these impacts with other sources of disturbance in the marine environment.
	Beam trawling effort is patchily distributed. Most beam trawling takes place in relatively shallow areas with relatively high levels of natural disturbance, and where the sea bed is, to a certain extent, resilient to the effects of the gear. For example, the sandy sea beds of the southern North sea are continually disturbed by tides and wave action, and most of the animals living there are already adapted to cope with disturbance. In these areas the effects of beam trawling on the sea bed are hard to detect, and recovery of areas that are trawled will usually occur in less than one year.
	In deeper water, where there is usually less wave and tidal action, beam trawling could have a proportionally greater effect, and recovery of the sea bed will take much longer. However, beam trawls are not widely used in these areas.

Hill Farmers

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the average income of hill farmers was provided by (a) Government and (b) European funding in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: Information on public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies is given in the table.
	
		£ billion 
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01(f) 
		
		
			 Total public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies 3.58 3.48 3.16 3.18 
			 Of which: 
			 Under the CAP 3.32 3.19 2.82 2.87 
			 Other schemes 0.26 0.29 0.34 0.31 
			 Percentage EU funded 93 92 89 90 
		
	
	Source:
	Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2000
	These figures exclude the additional support farmers receive from the consumer, through the maintenance of EU agricultural prices above world levels by the CAP.
	It is not possible to give this breakdown specifically for hill farms, but typically, a high percentage of subsidy paid to hill farmers will be from EU funding.
	In the years since 1997, average total direct subsidies to LFA cattle and sheep farms have exceeded net farm income. Data for England for the year 1999–2000, given in the table, illustrate the point.
	
		Average output, input and income for full-time hill farms -- England 1999–2000(£/farm)
		
			  LFA cattle and sheep farms 
		
		
			 Average farm output 61,700 
			 Of which:  
			 Direct livestock subsidies 25,400 
			 Other direct subsidies 4,000 
			 Average input costs 56,400 
			 Average net farm income 5,300 
		
	
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey

Water Framework Directive

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates she has made of the potential cost (a) to businesses and (b) to public funds of implementing the EU water framework directive 2000/60/EC.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 14 January 2002
	The implications of the directive are set out in the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) "First Consultation Paper on the Implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)" which was published jointly by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the National Assembly for Wales in March 2001. A copy of the consultation paper is in the House of Commons Library. Costs to businesses and public funds
	The estimated overall costs 1 in the regulatory impact assessment were dominated by the cost of making improvements to water status (£1.9 billion to £9.0 billion), which were broken down into: improvements to point source discharges by sewerage undertakers (£0.9 billion to £4.2 billion); improvements to point source discharges by industry (£0.3 billion to £1.2 billion); reductions in pollution from diffuse sources, particularly agriculture (£0.6 billion to £2.9 billion); improvements to river habitats (£90 million to £440 million); and, alleviation of low flows (up to £240 million).
	It is not yet possible to make an estimate of the effect on water charges to domestic and commercial customers of water and sewerage companies. This will be dealt with as part of the periodic reviews of water prices carried out by Ofwat. These reviews will also provide the opportunity to ensure that the most cost-effective combination of capital investment and other measures is built into water companies' programmes alongside regulatory measures delivered by the Environment Agency.
	The costs of habitat restoration and low flow alleviation projects, and urban run-off, may fall on the regulatory bodies, water companies, local authorities and landowners. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the extent and distribution of such work.
	The administrative, planning and monitoring costs were assumed to fall principally on central Government and Government agencies, with small administration costs falling on local authorities and the water companies. The estimated cost of administrative arrangements was £3 million, for the planning process £13 million to £20 million, and for additional monitoring and assessment approximately £94 million.
	A revised regulatory impact assessment will be needed, once an overall package of implementing regulations has been prepared for consultation, later this year or early 2003.
	1 The figures quoted were the net present value of costs incurred between 1998 and 2040. The choice of the year 2040 did not relate to the actual expenditure period but because it was 30 years after the deadline in the Commission's original proposal for achieving the directive's objectives. Thirty years is a widely used asset life for pollution control equipment.

Fraud

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department has only been in existence since June 2001. Information covering earlier periods is therefore not available, and could be constructed retrospectively only at disproportionate cost. Annual reports which the Treasury prepares on fraud, covering returns from both the former MAFF and DETR, are deposited in the Library of the House.

Food Imports

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional impact control measures have been introduced since the resolution of the blockade of foreign food imports at (a) Cairnryan and (b) elsewhere in 1998.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 15 January 2002
	The blockade of food imports at Cairnryan and elsewhere in 1998 related to farmers' concerns over rural incomes in the UK due to the effects of BSE on the market price of British beef, along with concerns over the strength of the British pound reducing the price of foreign meat imports from the Republic of Ireland. EU legislation does not allow the blockade of meat imported without justifiable reason and no additional import measures were taken following these events.

Refurbishment

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years.

Elliot Morley: The figures, which exclude any refurbishment carried out as part of landlord lease obligations, are as follows: Refurbishments are included in the planned programme of building maintenance.

Flood Protection (Hillingdon)

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve flood protection in the London borough of Hillingdon.

Elliot Morley: This Department provides grants for flood and coastal defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score. Further to increases in spending plans in the last two spending reviews, additional funding of £51 million over the four years from 2000–01 was announced in November 2000 following the severe flooding that year. An increased priority was given to urban flood defences and the grant rates for all river flood defences were increased by 20 per cent.
	Operational responsibility for flood management measures rests with the local operation authorities, normally the Environment Agency (EA) and local councils, who decide which projects to promote and their timing. The operational authorities are invited to submit applications for DEFRA funding.
	The EA has implemented a number of flood alleviation schemes in the London borough of Hillingdon as part of the £20 million Lower Colne Improvement Scheme with the benefit of grant aid. The schemes provide flood alleviation properties within West Drayton, Uxbridge and Cowley.
	The EA is now reviewing the feasibility of sustainable flood alleviation measures for the River Pinn catchment.

Nitrate Pollution

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has to provide financial assistance to farmers having to expend on increased slurry storage facilities as a result of being included in extensions to nitrate vulnerable zones; and if she will make a statement on her Department's consultation on the implementation of the European Nitrates Directive.

Michael Meacher: The Farm Waste Grant Scheme is available now to assist farmers in existing nitrate vulnerable zones with the cost of improving or constructing farm waste storage facilities. Grant is available at a rate of 40 per cent. on eligible expenditure up to an investment ceiling of £85,000. The Government intend to extend this scheme to the new NVZ areas, from the date of their designation. We are currently considering whether additional funds will be needed from 2003 onwards, and we are considering also the option to raise the grant rate to 50 per cent. in less favoured areas, as is permitted under the EU rules on state aids.
	DEFRA's current consultation seeks views on how England should complete full implementation of the Nitrates Directive. Following this, a decision on which of the two options for designation will be taken in England will be announced later this year.

Sea Fisheries Committees

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the (a) operation and (b) cost of funding of sea fisheries committees; and what proposals she has to alter the source of funding of sea fisheries committees from local authorities to central Government.

Elliot Morley: Sea Fisheries Committees as managers of inshore fisheries are subject to local government rules and are rightly funded by their constituent local authorities. There are no proposals for this arrangement to change.

Hunting

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has received from the Chief Veterinary Officer concerning changes in the threat to livestock from predatory foxes during the ban on fox hunting.

Elliot Morley: The Chief Veterinary Officer has made no such assessment. Foxes are not regarded as a major national threat to livestock by the Department.

Combined Heat and Power

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of combined heat and power systems in the horticultural sector; and what assessment she has made of the obstacles that exist to the use of such systems in the sector.

Michael Meacher: There is around 150 megawatts of good quality CHP capacity installed in the horticulture sector. I understand the main obstacles to the use of CHP are the availability of capital, a lack of understanding of the opportunities for CHP and concerns over energy prices. Support and advice, including site specific, will be channelled to the sector via the Carbon Trust under a voluntary energy saving agreement my Department has with the NFU.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will support the European proposal to maintain a Community register of genetically modified food and feed; and if this will result in a change in the information that is available to the public via the Food Standards Agency and her Department.

Michael Meacher: The Government support the establishment of the proposed Community register. However, the proposal implies that the information included on the register will be limited to a summary of applications for authorisation and authorisations granted. The current register maintained by my Department in relation to the release and marketing of genetically modified organisms contains more information, including all details of non-confidential information included in applications for authorisation. The Food Standards Agency operate procedures that give a similar level of information in relation to GM foods. The Government will press in negotiations on the proposal for more information to be placed on the Community register.

Animal Slaughter (Jedburgh)

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 8 January 2002 to the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth), Official Report, column 756W, on animal slaughter (Jedburgh), how many premises outwith the 3km zone were slaughtered out; how many sheep were slaughtered at each of these individual farm premises outwith the 3km zone; how many of these premises were tested for evidence of foot and mouth disease; and what was the result of the tests.

Elliot Morley: In the Scottish Borders local authority area there were 11 premises outwith the 3km area on which animals were slaughtered as part of the foot and mouth disease eradication strategy. Animals on six farms were slaughtered as the disease was suspected but not clinically proven and animals on a further five farms were slaughtered due to their contacts with Longtown market. This involved a total of 11,917 sheep as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			 Name of farm Number of sheep Tested for FMD Test result 
		
		
			 Sunnyside Farm, Haddington 230 Yes Negative 
			 West Broomhouse, Dunbar 74 Yes Negative 
			 Broadmeadows, Paxton 800 Yes Negative 
			 Broadlea, Hawick 1,200 Yes Negative 
			 Rawburn, Longformacus 3,000 Yes Negative 
			 Castlwood Farm, Jedburgh 43 Yes Negative 
			 Threepwood Cottage, Blainslie 1,155 Yes Negative 
			 Howford Farm, Ettrickbridge 2,115 Yes Negative 
			 Muirfield, Hawick 1,150 Yes Negative 
			 Foulshiels, Yarrow 1,000 Yes Negative 
			 Hopestead, Coldingham 1,150 Yes Negative

Suckler Cow Premiums

Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when farmers will receive their suckler cow premiums; for what reason farmers have not received payment of the premiums; and if farmers will receive interest on late payments.

Elliot Morley: Payments for suckler cow premium scheme are made between 16 October 2001 to 30 June annually. Claims are received up to 6 December. Payments are made in two parts, an advance payment to be paid by the 6 March 2002, and a balance payment due by 30 June 2002.
	This year, scheme payments have not been made as early in the window as we would have liked because computer systems have had to be upgraded to reflect regulation changes to the bovine schemes. Processing has also been affected by the diversion of staff to FMD and by industrial action. Advance payments started in January and are expected to be completed by 31 March. As the end of the advance payment window has still not been reached, the matter of the payment of interest to farmers does not arise.

IACS Payments

Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason farmers did not receive IACS payments due in October 2001 until December 2001.

Elliot Morley: The payment window for IACS arable area payments scheme (AAPS) 2001 runs from 16 November 2001 until 31 January 2002.
	The diversion of staff to FMD and industrial action within the Rural Payments Agency has delayed the processing of AAPS claims and meant that fewer claims than normal were paid during the early part of the payment window. The industrial action was suspended on 11 January and good progress is now being made in dealing with unpaid claims. RPA expects to pay over 90 per cent. of AAPS claims by 31 January and to complete the payment process by around mid-February.

Scrapie Research Project

Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the Scrapie Research Project; and what steps are being taken to speed up the project.

Elliot Morley: The hon. Member has confirmed that he is specifically interested in the National Scrapie Plan for Great Britain. The plan was launched on 19 July 2001 with the opening of a genotyping scheme for breeding rams in pedigree pure-bred flocks registered with a breed society. From an estimated 15,000 flocks in this sector we have thus far received expressions of interest from over one third. Of those expressing an interest over 2,800 have so far joined the plan. On 16 January I announced an extension of the plan to all pure-bred breeding flocks, irrespective of whether they are registered with a breed society. It is estimated that this will open eligibility to an extra 25,000 flocks. Eligibility has also been extended to all scrapie-affected flocks, irrespective of whether such flocks are pure-bred. We will be considering possible future extensions to the plan in consultation with stakeholders. Measures to eradicate scrapie are also included in the Animal Health Bill.

Air Pollution

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list by each local authority area in England and Wales the concentration of the pollutants (a) benzene, (b) 1,3 butadiene, (c) carbon monoxide, (d) lead, (e) nitrogen dioxide, (f) particles (PMI), and (g) sulphur dioxide for 1997 to 2001.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 January 2002
	This information is not held centrally. Local authorities are not required to monitor levels of each of these pollutants unless it appears from their modelling results that they are unlikely to achieve the nationally prescribed air quality objectives by the relevant deadlines. Our national monitoring network indicates that between 1997 and 2001 levels of most of these pollutants have fallen across England and Wales, and most local authorities are on course to meet the prescribed objectives for each of the pollutants. However, a number of authorities have identified possible difficulties with the objectives for nitrogen dioxide, particles and, to a lesser extent, sulphur dioxide. The table lists each of the authorities which has to date designated an air quality management area (AQMA), and highlights the pollutants in respect of which the AQMA has been designated.
	
		
			 Authority Date of effect Pollutant(s) 
		
		
			 London local authorities   
			 Barnet(11) 18 April 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Brent 2 April 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Bexley 22 August 2001 PM 1  0  
			 Camden 30 October 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Corporation of London(11) 26 January 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Croydon 2 October 2000 NO 2  
			 Ealing(11) 14 December 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Enfield(11) 31 March 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Greenwich 1 July 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Hackney 23 March 2001 NO 2  
			 Haringey 1 July 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Hammersmith and Fulham(11) 3 November 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Hillingdon 1 May 2001 NO 2  
			 Hounslow 15 March 2001 NO 2  
			 Islington 19 January 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Kensington and Chelsea(11) 6 December 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Lambeth 1 May 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Lewisham 1 July 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Merton 28 March 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Richmond upon Thames(11) 31 December 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Southwark 1 October 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Sutton 29 March 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Tower Hamlets(11) 6 December 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Waltham Forest(11) 31 October 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Wandsworth(11) 1 January 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Westminster(11) 9 March 1999 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			
			 Other English authorities   
			 Babergh District Council 28 August 2001 NO 2  
			 Barnsley MBC 3 October 2001 NO 2  
			 Bath and North East Somerset 2 February 2002 NO 2  
			 Blaby Borough Council 19 January 2001 NO 2  
			 Bolsover DC 1 December 2001 NO 2  
			 Boston BC 10 September 2001 NO 2  
			 Bromsgrove DC 26 July 2001 NO 2  
			 Broxbourne BC 1 November 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Bristol City Council 1 May 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Colchester BC 1 May 2001 NO 2  
			 Charnwood BC 20 June 2001 NO 2  (3) 
			 Dartford BC 1 October 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Derby CC 1 August 2001 NO 2  
			 Doncaster 1 August 2001 NO 2  (3) 
			 East Herts 6 August 2001 PM 1  0  
			 Fenland District Council 1 May 2001 SO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Harborough DC 18 July 2001 NO 2  
			 Herefordshire Council 23 November 2001 NO 2  
			 Hertsmere BC 30 August 2001 NO 2  
			 Hinckley and Bosworth BC 9 May 2001 NO 2  
			 Leeds 1 July 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Leicester City Council 29 December 2000 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Maidstone BC 1 August 2001 NO 2  
			 Manchester 31 July 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Melton 21 April 2001 NO 2  
			 North Warwickshire BC 1 March 2001 NO 2  
			 North West Leicestershire 23 April 2001 NO 2  (6) 
			 Oldham 1 June 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Oxford CC 1 September 2001 NO 2  
			 Rotherham MBC 1 January 2002 NO 2  
			 Runnymede BC 4 December 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Rushmoor BC 31 October 2000 NO 2  
			 Salford 1 June 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Salisbury 24 July 2001 NO 2  (4) 
			 Sheffield CC 5 December 2001 NO 2  
			 South Gloucestershire 1 November 2001 NO 2  
			 South Kesteven DC 1 August 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 South Lakeland 5 May 2001 NO 2  
			 Spelthorne 1 December 2000 NO 2  
			 St. Edmundsbury 1 September 2001 NO 2  
			 Stoke-on-Trent DC 23 November 2001 NO 2  
			 Stroud and Tewkesbury (joint AQMA) 30 June 2001 NO 2  
			 Tameside MBC 1 July 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Tewkesbury and Stroud (joint AQMA) 30 June 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Three Rivers 1 April 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Thurrock 1 April 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Tonbridge and Malling 1 May 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Trafford MBC 29 June 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Warrington BC 1 November 2001 NO 2  
			 West Wiltshire DC 26 November 2001 NO 2 , PM 1  0  
			 Wigan Council 13 August 2001 NO 2  
			 Wokingham DC 28 September 2001 NO 2  
			 Wycombe DC 1 August 2001 NO 2  
			
			 Wales   
			 Neath Port Talbot(12) 1 July 2000 PM 1  0  
			 Cardiff November 2000 NO 2  
			 Swansea 31 August 2001 NO 2  
		
	
	(11) Indicates designation of whole borough
	(12) Where industry is one of the main sources
	Note:
	The figure in brackets in the third column denotes the number of AQMAs declared in those authority areas where more than one has been declared

Air Pollution

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent investigations have been undertaken by her Department on the impact of air pollution on health.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 January 2002
	The Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) advises the Government, through the Chief Medical Officer, on the effects of air pollution on health.
	COMEAP publish the statements and reports that they prepare on their website at www.doh.gov.uk/comeap. Recent studies include a "Statement and Report on Long-Term Effects of Particles on Mortality" and "The Health effects of Air Pollution: Advice from COMEAP".
	Also published on the website are details of a recent call for research proposals on air pollution and health. This new research is aiming to cover projects to be carried out over a three-year period as well as some smaller projects lasting for about one year.

Air Pollution

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last reviewed the air quality strategy; and what the main findings of the review were.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 22 January 2002
	The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was published in January 2000. The strategy is not expected to need a comprehensive review for a few years. Instead, the Government and devolved Administrations have decided to review the strategy on a pollutant by pollutant basis to allow reviews of individual pollutants to be carried out relatively quickly, and to allow the outcomes of these reviews to be published was addenda to the strategy. The first of these reviews as published for consultation on 17 September 2001. It considered the possibility of tightening the existing policy objectives for three pollutants (carbon monoxide, benzene and particles) and of introducing for the first time a policy objective for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A large number of responses to the consultation document were received, and we will take account of these in finalising our proposals.

Reed Beds

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evaluation she has made of the potential use of reed beds as a way of alleviating foul sewerage problems exacerbated by flooding.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 23 January 2002
	Reed beds form part of the portfolio for sustainable drainage systems. DEFRA, the Environment Agency and other stakeholders are looking at how future drainage systems ensure that water quality can be better protected, although no specific evaluation has yet been made of this potential role for reed beds.

Farming Subsidies

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will (a) devote a minimum percentage of farming subsidies to sustainable rural development and (b) negotiate on this principle as a start during the mid-term review negotiations on the CAP.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has stated that our policy for the mid-term review is to see a switch from production support under the first pillar of the CAP to support for agri-environment and sustainable rural development schemes under the second pillar, and we will be pressing for this in the negotiations.

Biosecurity

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what grounds under the clauses in the Animal Health Bill the Government will withhold part of the compulsory purchase payment for animals slaughtered for posing a risk of spreading disease, where the Government considers that the farmer's biosecurity measures are substandard.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	The Department launched a public consultation on the implementation of key provisions of the Animal Health Bill on 11 January 2002.
	Included in this package are proposals for the matters to be covered by the disease risk assessment that will help to determine the amount of adjusted compensation paid for animals slaughtered on infected premises. We are seeking key stakeholders' views by 15 March.
	The consultation document and list of stakeholders can be found on the DEFRA website at http:// www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/ahbill/index.htm.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to apply for agrimonetary compensation for the livestock sector in April; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	The European Commission have yet to confirm whether there is any agrimonetary compensation available for the livestock sector. Although this aid relates to the second and third stages of compensation paid last year, the EU rules provide for these later payments to be reduced or cancelled if the market prices and exchange rates have since moved in a direction which ameliorates the situation which leads to the compensation. We will not know for some months what the Commission assessment will be. When we do the Government will have carefully to consider the case for payment.

Agricultural Co-operatives

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to improve the competitiveness of agricultural co-operatives in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	We are supporting a number of initiatives to improve the competitiveness of both agricultural co-operatives and collaborative marketing groups.
	With the NFU, we have been running a collaborative marketing initiative since 1998. This is aimed at helping farmers to recognise the many advantages of working together, particularly in relation to economies of scale and access to professional expertise. We have used joint representation at agricultural shows across a range of sectors to generate interest in this initiative.
	Under the Agriculture Development Scheme, aimed at helping farmers and growers improve their competitiveness through better marketing, collaborative activities were given priority under bidding rounds held in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Successful bids in 1999 and 2000 included a project to benchmark best practice in farmer controlled businesses (Plunkett Foundation) and several projects from collaborative producer groups or co-operatives.
	Opportunities for improving the competitiveness of co-operatives and collaborative marketing groups are also provided under the England Rural Development Programme through awards under the Processing and Marketing Grant and the measure on the marketing of quality agricultural products under the Rural Enterprise Scheme.

Bovine TB

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list research projects associated with bovine TB, indicating for each (a) the cost in 2001–02 and (b) the total cost of the project.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	The Krebs badger field trial, TB99 epidemiological survey of risk factors which may dispose some farms to TB breakdowns and road traffic accident survey of badger carcases are projects associated with bovine TB. These were suspended for most of 2001–02, because of the foot and mouth disease emergency and little expenditure in respect of them has, therefore, been incurred in the present financial year. With the present resumption of work on these projects, revised costings are being drawn up but the total cost of the trial is expected to remain at £35 million over five years.
	A list of individual research projects and their 2001–02 and total costs are given in the table. The list is subject to change as new projects come on stream and others end and costs are revised. The table represents the position at 23 January 2002.
	
		£ 
		
			  Research project Cost in 2001–02  Total costs 
		
		
			 Generation of vaccine candidates against Mycobacterium bovis 313,201 1,566,005 
			 Testing of vaccine candidates for bovine tuberculosis using a low dose aerosol challenge guinea pig model 208,247 1,068,045 
			 Testing TB vaccines in cattle 263,642 1,316,635 
			 Development of badger vaccines 167,889 370,274 
			 Antigen presenting cells and T cell responses to Mycobacterium bovis 400,000 1,200,000 
			 Development of badger immunological reagents 152,908 432,642 
			 Improved diagnostics for cattle 170,449 511,347 
			 Cost-effectiveness of using the gamma interferon test in herds with multiple tuberculin reactors 38,850 124,682 
			 Assessment of the economic impacts of TB and alternative control policies 48,049 156,959 
			 Development and evaluation of strain typing methods for Mycobacterium bovis 387,810 1,275,223 
			 An integrated approach to the application of Mycobacterium bovis genotyping for the control of bovine tuberculosis in GB 334,439 927,801 
			 Survival of Mycobacterium bovis in laboratory made silage 4,408 4,408 
			 Mycobacterium bovis pathogenesis 681,933 2,440,159 
			 Pathogenesis and diagnosis of tuberculosis in cattle—complementary field studies 105,000 1,975,135 
			 A spatial analysis using GIS of risk factors associated with TB incidents in cattle herds in England and Wales 11,683 188,373 
			 Genome sequence analysis of Mycobacterium bovis 50,932 1,156,293 
			 Ecological correlates of tuberculosis incidence in cattle 118,729 374,181 
			 Quantification of the risk of transmission of bovine TB from badgers to cattle within localised areas 41,816 167,504 
			 Integrated modelling of M. bovis transmission in badgers and cattle 276,540 902,769 
			 The risk to cattle from Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife species other than badgers 460,945 1,214,788 
			 The risk to cattle from wildlife species other than badgers in areas of high herd breakdown risk 195,822 608,095 
			 Understanding the route of TB transmission from badgers to cattle 34,980 266,942 
			 Develop innovative methods to estimate badger population density 268,572 882,090 
			 Novel methods of estimating badger numbers in the wider countryside 70,201 230,426 
			 An integrated study of perturbation, population estimation, modelling and risk 299,877 1,252,592 
			 A molecular genetic analysis of badger social structure and bovine tuberculosis 162,451 766,069 
			 Ecological consequences of removing badgers from an eco-system 323,625 1,000,810 
			 Using herd depopulation for effectively controlling TB 26,758 26,758 
			 Exploratory study to model the distribution and spread of bovine TB using multi-temporal satellite imagery 42,450 42,450 
			 Application of postgenomics to reveal the basis of virulence, pathogenesis and transmissibility of M. bovis 350,000 3,318,624

Bovine TB

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the merits of reintroducing the bovine TB programme; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	The need to control bovine TB in herds remains a top priority for the Department. Before the restart of routine testing, and restart of the badger culling trial, veterinary risk assessments were made. The restart of the programme has been dependent on when counties were declared free of foot and mouth disease.

Tenant Farmers

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will seek a revision of the definition of agriculture within tenancy legislation to include rural development and agri- environment activities.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	Many tenant farmers are already successfully taking part in rural development and agri-environment scheme. Further, over the last few years roughly the same proportion of tenant farmers and owner occupier farmers have joined the agri-environment schemes. However we are aware that some tenant farmers are concerned about their ability to take part in these schemes. This is something we will consider in the light of the ongoing review of the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 and the recommendations made by the Policy Commission on Food and Farming.

Tenant Farmers

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will move funds from agricultural price support towards environmentally sustainable agricultural and non-agricultural activities; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has stated that our policy for the CAP mid-term review is to see a switch from production support under the first pillar to support for agri-environment and sustainable rural development schemes under the second pillar, and we will be pressing for this in the negotiations.

Zoos

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of (a) public awareness relating to potential disease risks between humans and animals in locations defined under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and (b) the effective enforcement of relevant health and safety standards; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps her Department has undertaken to ensure that establishments defined as a zoo under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 are (a) licensed and (b) meeting required standards in animal welfare and public safety; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 January 2002
	The enforcement of zoo licensing, and of health and safety standards in zoos, are matters for the relevant local authorities, taking account of advice issued by the Department and the Health and Safety Executive.
	In terms of zoo licensing, local authorities must ensure that the zoos in their area have a licence to operate or are exempt from the provisions of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. All licensed zoos are also subject to regular inspection to ensure that the Secretary of State's Standards on Modern Zoo Practice, which include provisions relating to animal welfare and public safety are being met. The Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the implementation of the 1981 Act and a new circular will be issued shortly to take account of the changes introduced by Council Directive 1999/22/EC on the keeping of wild animals in zoos, which is due to come into force in April.
	Guidance on the management of public interaction with zoo animals is also set out in the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. This requires that risk assessments be carried out on a case-by-case basis, taking advice from the Health and Safety Executive, where necessary. For example, hand-washing facilities must be provided, together with signage reminding the public of hygiene requirements.
	The prevention of transmission of zoonotic disease between zoo animals and employees is addressed by inspections carried out under health and safety legislation. In addition, inspections carried out under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 will check whether zoos have measures in place to alert employees to the potential risk of zoonotic disease transmission.

Hens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve the welfare of egg laying hens before battery cages are prohibited in 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	We have a number of initiatives to improve laying hen welfare. These include: a draft new Welfare Code; an extensive DEFRA on farm poultry welfare R&D programme; and ADAS run advisory programmes for farmers to encourage good welfare. In addition, the State Veterinary Service visit poultry units to assess all aspects of welfare.

Broiler Chickens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of broiler chickens' welfare; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 January 2002
	As part of its inspection programme the State Veterinary Service visits broiler units to assess all aspects of welfare. The normal programme of visits is now resuming following the FMD outbreak.

BSE

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of BSE have been confirmed in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK in each of the last three years.

Elliot Morley: The table shows the number of cases of BSE confirmed in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK in each of the last three years (as at 18 January 2002).
	
		
			  Presented as clinical suspects Confirmed by active surveillance 
		
		
			 Scotland   
			 1999 37 0 
			 2000 36 2 
			 2001 23 24 
			
			 UK   
			 1999 2,254 20 
			 2000 1,311 44 
			 2001 738 310

Common Agricultural Policy

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made in reforming the CAP.

Elliot Morley: The reform of the sheepmeat regime agreed by the Agriculture Council in December will simplify the regime and make it more flexible. The ewe premium will in future be paid on a flat rate basis, and the introduction of national envelopes provides a valuable mechanism for targeting extra support for the sheep sector and for encouraging environmentally beneficial farming practices.
	More generally we expect the Commission to come forward with the mid-term review for the Common Agricultural Policy in the early summer and for negotiations to take place thereafter. We are working hard through informal discussions with the Commission and other member states to prepare the ground for these important negotiations.

Common Agricultural Policy

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to means-test CAP subsidy payments to farmers.

Elliot Morley: None. The Government have asked the Policy Commission for Food and Farming to look at its overall objectives in this area and we will review future policy in the light of the report which is expected on 29 January.

Producer Support Estimate

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the most recent estimate of the value of agricultural producer support for (a) the EU and (b) each country thereof.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 11 January 2001
	The OECD produces annual estimates of agricultural producer support in OECD countries, called producer support estimate (PSE). This includes estimates of the value of support to producers through market support mechanisms as well as through national and EU budgets. Their most recent provisional estimate of PSE for the EU is 98 billion euro for 2000. The OECD does not provide estimates of agricultural producer support for individual countries within the EU, however the following table shows the payments from the EU budget under the Common Agricultural Policy to each member state. These payments include costs that are not directly received by farmers (eg costs of intervention storage), but they do not include payments by national Governments or the value of market price support.
	
		Payments from the EU budget under the common agricultural policy in 2000
		
			  Million euro 
		
		
			 Belgium 957 
			 Denmark 1,309 
			 Germany 5,675 
			 Greece 2,598 
			 Spain 5,485 
			 France 9,006 
			 Ireland 1,681 
			 Italy 5,043 
			 Luxembourg 21 
			 Netherlands 1,442 
			 Austria 1,019 
			 Portugal 653 
			 Finland 728 
			 Sweden 798 
			 UK 4,062 
		
	
	Source
	Court of Auditors annual report concerning the financial year 2000.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Refurbishment

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last four years.

Denis MacShane: Separately identifiable building refurbishment costs over the last four years on Foreign and Commonwealth Office properties have amounted to:
	1997–98: £3.2 million
	1998–99: £4.7 million
	1999–2000: £22.5 million
	2000–01: £31.2 million.
	In addition to the figures listed, refurbishment is often a component in the adaptation of buildings, but it is not possible to identify that element without disproportionate cost. We also have a programme of routine building maintenance across the estate.

Ministerial Transport

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last used the railway service in connection with his official duties; what station he left from and what was the destination; and whether it is his intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

Jack Straw: I generally travel to my Blackburn constituency by rail, most recently on 18 January 2002. I made extensive use of the railways on official business as Home Secretary: as Foreign Secretary the opportunities to do so are more limited.

South Africa

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit South Africa; and if he will raise the issue of arms sales with his South African counterpart.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no immediate plans to visit South Africa. The Under-Secretary, my noble Friend Baroness Amos, will be visiting South Africa in February. There are no plans to discuss arms sales during that visit.

Gibraltar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will visit Gibraltar before he next meets his Spanish counterpart under the auspices of the Brussels Process.

Jack Straw: I refer the right hon. Member to my statement in the House on 14 January 2002, Official Report, columns 21–29. I will be discussing this further when I see the Chief Minister of Gibraltar in London today.

Gibraltar

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he plans to give to the Royal visit to Gibraltar in 2002.

Jack Straw: There are no Royal visits to Gibraltar planned for 2002.

Gibraltar

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place with Spain on roaming rights of Gibraltar mobile telephones; and under what statutory powers he can take action against Spain over restriction of telephone numbers for Gibraltar.

Peter Hain: We raise the problems facing the Gibraltar telephones sector with the Spanish Government, at ministerial and official level, at every appropriate opportunity. Most recently, I raised the issue with Spanish Europe Minister Ramon de Miguel on 24 January. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Madrid has also discussed the problem with Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique in recent days.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no statutory powers to take action against Spain on the restriction of telephone numbers for Gibraltar.

Gibraltar

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking against Spain in respect of freedom of movement of UK citizens on the Gibraltar border.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-East (Mr. Turner) on 11 December 2001, Official Report, column 826W.

Gibraltar

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if independence for Gibraltar has been discussed during talks under the Brussels Process.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 399W.

Gibraltar

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the integration of Gibraltar with the UK has been discussed during talks under the Brussels Process.

Peter Hain: No.

Gibraltar

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet representatives of the Government of Spain to discuss the future status of Gibraltar.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough (Jeff Ennis) today, Official Report, column 1177W.

Trafficking

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh concerning measures to combat people trafficking, with particular reference to (a) the number of prosecutions for trafficking offences, (b) the sentences imposed on those found guilty of trafficking and (c) compensation granted to victims of trafficking;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the scale of trafficking of women and children from Bangladesh.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on people trafficking on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 304W.
	The most recent figures we have available are from the Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association (BNWLA) who conducted a survey in 10 districts of Bangladesh in 1999. It found that approximately 7,000 people were trafficked during that time (70 per cent. under 18) with the majority going to India (80 per cent.). I understand that there were 63 repatriations last year (50 children), mainly from India.
	Latest figures from the BNWLA show that there are 60 cases under trial at present. Last year there were three cases, each of which resulted in the accused being found guilty and given a life sentence. There is no specific compensation scheme for victims, although we understand that the BNWLA provides some support services. The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs is also receiving development funding for a related project.

Convention on the Future of Europe

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom the Government will appoint as the National Government representative to the Convention on the Future of Europe.

Jack Straw: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe has been appointed the Government representative to the Convention on the Future of Europe.

Camp X-Ray

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Foreign Office officials first arrived at Camp X-Ray.

Jack Straw: 17 January 2002.

Camp X-Ray

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  when he was first informed of the conditions of the prisoners held in Camp X-Ray;
	(2)  when he first had communications with UK officials concerning the conditions of prisoners in Camp X-Ray.

Jack Straw: The report of the officials' visit was sent and received on 21 January; I received it on my arrival in Kinshasa that afternoon. My hon. Friend the Under- Secretary of State, the Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw), made a statement the same day, Official Report, columns 623–31.

Camp X-Ray

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he first had communications with US officials concerning the conditions of prisoners in Camp X-Ray.

Jack Straw: I discussed the conditions in which British nationals were being held with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell on 12 January and asked for access by British officials in order to verify their identity, nationality and welfare.

Camp X-Ray

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what charges Mr. Abbasi is being held at Camp X-Ray in Cuba and under what jurisdiction; if he has received legal representation during interrogation; who has made direct contact with him and in whose presence; if he has provided testimony of his treatment and condition in private without the presence of American officials; if written confirmation of his medical condition and treatment has been provided; if he is subject to a possible death penalty; and what prospects there are for his extradition to the UK.

Ben Bradshaw: We are not yet aware of any charges but are in regular contact with the US regarding next steps. We have made it clear that the detainees must be treated humanely and, if tried, are entitled to a fair trial and to legal representation. At this stage we do not know whether detainees would be subject to the death penalty if convicted but HMG regularly makes their views plain to the US on this issue. The question of whether the detainees will be prosecuted by the US or returned to the UK is as yet undecided.
	The UK team which met Mr. Abbasi during their visit from 17–20 January were accompanied by representatives of the US as the detaining power. The report of the visit indicates that the British detainees spoke without inhibitions and appeared to be in good physical health.

Ministerial Meetings

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what items will be discussed at his next meeting with his Spanish counterpart.

Peter Hain: The Foreign Ministers will meet at the EU General Affairs Council on 28 January, where they will discuss a range of bilateral and foreign policy issues.

Christians (China)

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese Government regarding the persecution of Christians in south east China, with specific reference to the imprisonment of several Christians in Huadu Detention Centre in Guangdong Province.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised concerns about religious freedom in China with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to the UK on 16–19 January. During my visit to China in September 2001, I raised concerns about human rights, including the treatment of Christians, with the Chinese authorities. These concerns were discussed in detail at successive rounds of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, most recently on 19–21 November 2001.
	We raised the case of Pastor Li Dexian at the February 2001 round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. The Chinese told us that he was not under arrest at that stage. Media reports indicate that he was arrested on 26 July 2001, and held at the Hua Du Centre, but released the following day.

Brussels Process

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what date has been set for the next round of talks under the Brussels Process; and what the time scale is for the end of talks.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) on 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 311W. We propose to hold a further ministerial meeting of the Brussels Process shortly. It remains our intention to conclude a comprehensive agreement by the summer.

Brussels Process

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement to Parliament following the next round of talks under the Brussels Process.

Peter Hain: We will continue to ensure that the House is kept fully informed of progress under the Brussels Process.

Commonwealth Games

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support from his Department is being given to overseas territories to compete in the Commonwealth games; and which overseas territories are benefiting from this support.

Ben Bradshaw: The overseas territories are themselves responsible for determining and funding their teams' participation in the games. We are in contact with the organisers of the games to ensure the overseas territories are fully involved. We are also liaising with the organisers to facilitate the attendance of VIP visitors from the participating territories.

Spanish Residents

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Spanish people live and work in the UK.

Peter Hain: According to the Office for National Statistics, as of mid-2000 there were approximately 47,000 Spanish nationals resident in the UK. The Spring 2000 Labour Force Survey, also produced by the Office for National Statistics, records approximately 30,000 Spanish nationals working in the UK.

PRIME MINISTER

Honours

Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister how many non-citizens of the United Kingdom have been knighted in each year since 1990.

Jack Straw: I have been asked to reply.
	The numbers of non-UK citizens who have received honorary knighthoods (or who were invested as honorary Dames) are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1990 8 
			 1991 9 
			 1992 23 
			 1993 7 
			 1994 12 
			 1995 18 
			 1996 22 
			 1997 21 
			 1998 18 
			 1999 6 
			 2000 29 
			 2001 13 
		
	
	These figures do not include Knight (or Dame) Commanders of the Victorian Order which is the Queen's personal prerogative.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Parliamentary Questions

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many answers to parliamentary questions have not been answered by the Lord Chancellor's Department under exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in each year since 1994.

Michael Wills: It has not been possible to identify the answers to the parliamentary questions that the hon. Member refers to without incurring disproportionate cost. The Department does not keep records of parliamentary questions and answers in such a form as to enable the information sought to be readily produced. The only way to identify the relevant parliamentary questions and answers, with any degree of reliability, would be to search manually through Hansards. This would be an extremely time-consuming task which would produce the information sought by the hon. Member only at disproportionate cost.

Crown Court Proceedings

Peter Lilley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of defendants who appealed against conviction in a magistrates court and whose case was reheard in the Crown court in 2000 were found (a) not guilty and (b) guilty.

Michael Wills: Information held centrally relating to the results of appeals to the Crown court is limited and is not collected in a form to provide an answer to the hon. Member's question without incurring disproportionate cost. For information purposes, however, the table provides figures for receipts, by type of appeal, and outcome, by type of result, of appeals to the Crown court during 2000.
	
		Appeals to the Crown court, 2000
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Net receipts  
			 Conviction/sentence 5,341 
			 Sentence only 7,691 
			 Other(13) 870 
			  
			 Total 13,902 
			   
			 Results  
			 Allowed 3,090 
			 Dismissed 4,485 
			 Varied 3,268 
			 Other(14) 3,512 
			  
			 Total 14,355 
		
	
	(13) Eg liquor licence refusals and non-renewal of shotgun certificates
	(14) Abandoned appeals, remitted to magistrates, other results

Private Finance Initiative

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what procedures are in place to inform local authorities about the withdrawal of PFI credits from projects under his Department's remit; and what evaluation has been undertaken on the effectiveness of those procedures.

Michael Wills: There have been no instances of the Department withdrawing PFI credits from projects that have received Project Review Group (PRG) endorsement. In the unlikely event that it could become necessary to withdraw PFI credits, the Department would consult with the appropriate local authorities and magistrates courts committee prior to any decision being made.

Private Finance Initiative

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, on how many occasions since 1997 PFI credits have been withdrawn from projects under his Department's remit; and what were the (a) costs and (b) reasons for withdrawal.

Michael Wills: There have been no instances where PFI credits have been withdrawn from projects following the Project Review Group's endorsement.

Private Finance Initiative

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what procedures his Department has for local authorities to make representations to the Project Review Group on a decision to withdraw PFI credits from projects under his Department's remit; and what is the length of time for response.

Michael Wills: No formal procedures are in place for local authorities to make representations to the Project Review Group on a decision to withdraw PFI credits. That is not the Project Review Group's role. In the unlikely event it was necessary to review the credit allocation it would be a matter for the Department, in consultation with the appropriate local authorities and magistrates courts committee or committees.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Transfer of Functions (Costs)

David Rendel: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission if the additional costs relating to the transfer of the functions of the Local Government Commission for England to the Electoral Commission will be met in advance of the transfer date of 1 April 2002 provided for in the Local Government Commission for England (Transfer of Functions) Order 2001 (S.I., 2001, No. 3962).

Alan Beith: In order to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the transfer and to enable the transferring local government boundary review functions, together with the related functions transferring from the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, to be carried out without interruption, urgent expenditure estimated at £127,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Ministerial Transport

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last used the railway service in connection with her official duties; what station she left from and what was the destination; and whether it is her intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

Patricia Hewitt: I last used the railway service on official business on Monday 10 December 2001, departing from Euston travelling to Luton Parkway.
	All the arrangements for my official travel are made in line with the guidance set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and accompanying guidance document "Travel by Ministers", using the most efficient and cost effective mode of transport, and bearing in mind security considerations.

Information and Consultation Directive

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received regarding the information and consultation directive.

Alan Johnson: There is considerable interest in the information and consultation directive and the Department frequently receives inquiries and representations about it. The directive is expected to be adopted shortly and we will be consulting fully and widely on how best to implement it in this country.

Electronic Signatures

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress on implementing the European electronic signatures directive.

Patricia Hewitt: Further to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) on 20 July 2001, Official Report, column 610W, I can now announce that the discussion document referred to in that answer is now being issued and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	This clearly has not happened as quickly as I had hoped when my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness replied to my hon. Friend. This delay has been occasioned by developments in the Government's approach to updating the law to facilitate electronic communications referred to in my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness' reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 10 January 2002, Official Report, column 971W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2002, Official Report, columns 89–92W, concerning the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 6 and 7 December 2001, which were the member states with parliamentary scrutiny reserves on (a) the Framework Decision on combating terrorism and (b) the council decision establishing Eurojust.

Angela Eagle: Ireland, Denmark and Sweden had, and continue to have, parliamentary scrutiny reservations on the Framework Decision on combating terrorism which was provisionally agreed at the council, and on which the European Parliament is being reconsulted. My previous reply, based on information supplied by the Council Secretariat and included the council's own press statement reporting the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 6–7 December 2001, stated that four member states had parliamentary scrutiny reservations on the Council Decision establishing Eurojust, on which the council reached political agreement. The Council Secretariat have subsequently stated that only Denmark and Sweden maintained parliamentary reservations on this measure at the council.
	In both cases, the United Kingdom lifted its parliamentary scrutiny reservation at the Council following clearance by both Houses.

Departmental Spending Review

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 21 January 2002
	The Department is currently collating its bid for the 2002 Spending Review. The environmental implications of the bid will be outlined in a report on sustainable development, which will be submitted to the Treasury with the final version of the bid.

Departmental Spending Review

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way sustainable development objectives are reflected in his Department's bids for the 2002 Spending Review.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 16 January 2002
	The Department is currently collating its bid for the 2002 Spending Review. The impact of each bid upon sustainable development indicators is being assessed, and alternatives are being considered to eliminate or reduce any negative impact. A report on the sustainable development aspect of the bid will be produced, in accordance with Treasury requirements, which will detail the social, economic and environmental implications of the final version of the Department's SR2002 bid.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 21 January 2002
	No environmental appraisals have been published by my Department since 1 January 2001.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 21 January 2002
	In taking important administrative and policy decisions environmental considerations are taken into account. For example:
	Where relevant goods and services are procured, prospective suppliers are asked to include an assessment of the major environmental impacts of the contract, as part of the tendering and evaluation process; and
	Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methods (BREEAM) assessments are undertaken for new buildings and for the major refurbishment of existing buildings within the Department's estate;
	A section on environmental appraisals is included within the Department's Policy Checklist;
	The Ministerial website states that policy submissions should include a section on environmental considerations.
	The Prison Service Management Board has agreed that all new policies and programmes should be subject to environmental screening and appraisal. This will apply to submissions to Ministers, papers to the Prison Service Management Board and Operational Policy Group and to business cases in respect of prison maintenance and construction work.

Fear of Crime

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to reduce the fear of crime in (a) London and (b) the London borough of Havering; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: It is a key priority of the Government to reduce crime and the fear of crime through effective law enforcement and partnership working. The British Crime Survey shows that fear of crime generally has been declining since 1998. There are a large number of different programmes operating throughout London and in specific boroughs of London aimed at reducing crime, and it is the Government's policy wherever possible to ensure that they also effectively reduce the fear of crime to include programmes aimed at reducing street robbery, violence at licensed premises and on public transport, and racist attacks and harassment; it would not be practicable to list all relevant programmes currently operating in London.
	There are a number of relevant initiatives being carried out in Havering under the Home Office's Crime Reduction Programme. Among them is the targeted Policing Initiative Project aimed at understanding and responding to hate crime; this initiative is still at an early stage of development and has an allocated funding of £287,000 for a 22-month period. Funds have also been allocated for Neighbourhood Wardens; one of the objectives of this scheme is to reduce fear of crime by five per cent. by March 2003. £466,583 has been provided to facilitate new and replacement Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the borough, as a result of which over 1,000 crimes are expected to be prevented in the first three years of operation. Funds have also been allocated to tackle drugs problems in the borough, including allowing for higher visibility policing. In addition to these schemes and initiatives 3,000 local people are to be surveyed for their views on fear of crime and their personal priorities for crime reduction. This information will be used to inform decisions on priorities for the Crime Reduction Strategy for Havering.

Either-way Cases

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what percentage of either-way cases defendants elected for jury trial in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to respond to this question, and would refer the hon. Member to the figures and the statement given in reply to his related question.

Either-way Cases

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in (a) how many and (b) what percentage of either-way cases (i) magistrates declined jurisdiction, (ii) defendants consented to magistrates jurisdiction and (iii) defendants elected for jury trial in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to respond to this question.
	The following table, drawn from Crown Prosecution Service records, shows the number and proportion of defendants in either-way cases who were committed to the Crown court at their own election or on magistrates direction. No separate record is maintained of cases in which defendants consented to magistrates jurisdiction.
	These figures show a steady decline in the proportion of either-way cases reaching the Crown court by way of defendant election up to 1997–98, followed by a period of relative stability over the last four years, when these proceedings remained in the region of 29–32 per cent. of all either-way cases.
	The Government are committed to achieving improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System and is considering Sir Robin Auld's recommendations contained in his "Review of the Criminal Courts" which include removal of the right to elect jury trial and the introduction of an intermediate tribunal. The Government have been actively seeking the views of stakeholders on these and other recommendations contained in the "Review" and will take decisions following the conclusion of the consultation process at the end of January.
	
		Either-way proceedings in the Crown court
		
			  1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02(15) 
		
		
			 Defendant elections 35,584 32,865 25,249 26,612 24,768 21,472 21,653 18,391 18,572 16,351 7,605 
			 as percentage of either cases 36.5 37.5 35.0 34.2 33.1 30.5 27.9 29.4 31.7 29.6 30.5 
			 Magistrates directions 61,867 54,738 46,954 51,181 50,158 49,026 56,069 44,269 40,097 38,914 17,350 
			 as percentage of either cases 63.5 62.5 65.0 65.8 66.9 69.5 72.1 70.6 68.3 70.4 69.5 
			 Total either-way cases 97,451 87,603 72,203 77,793 74,926 70,498 77,722 62,660 58,669 55,265 24,955 
		
	
	(15) April to September

Police Budget (Nottinghamshire)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the anticipated police budget is for Nottinghamshire for (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004.

John Denham: Police authorities set their annual budgets before 1 March each year. I understand that the Nottinghamshire police authority budget for 2002–03 is still under consideration. Information for 2003–04 and 2004–05 is not available.

Community Group Funding

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether the Government keep a record of the overall number of state funded competitive grant schemes available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom in (a) the current and (b) previous years, and by what categories this is broken down;
	(2)  whether the Government keep a central list of the statutory bodies that make competitive grant schemes available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom in (a) the current year and (b) previous years;
	(3)  whether the Government keep a record of the total sum distributed through all state funded competitive grant schemes available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom in (a) the current year and (b) previous years; and by what categories this is broken down.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 24 January 2002
	Information about grants for earlier years is available in two recent publications:
	Central Government Funding of Voluntary and Community Organisations 1982–83 to 1999–2000: ISBN 1 84082 636–3; and
	A Guide to Funding from Government Departments and Agencies—Second Edition: ISBN 1 900360 79.
	Information on grants allocated by Government Departments during 2000–01, the last completed financial year, is currently being compiled and will be placed in the Library before the summer recess.

Missing Children

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to ensure that police forces place details of missing children on the uk.missingkids.com website as soon as possible after being informed of a child's disappearance, and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 24 January 2002
	The uk.missingkids.com website aims at reuniting missing children with their families. This site is maintained by Computer Associates plc and is supported by the charity, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
	The website facility is open to be used by all police forces in England and Wales and Scottish forces will have the system made available to them in the very near future. Not all missing children cases are however suitable for the site: children are only featured if it is believed that the child has left their home area, if there is a photograph of reasonably good quality available, and with the agreement of the senior investigating officer and the family. Ultimately any decision as to whether to use the site is the responsibility of the Chief Officer of the relevant force.
	However, the Police National Missing Persons Bureau regularly audits the children currently notified as missing and if the child is not on the site, the investigating force is offered the use of the facility.

Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what weight he gives to sustainable development objectives in his Department's (a) public services agreements and (b) service delivery agreements.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 16 January 2002
	Revisions to Public Service Agreements (PSA) and Service Delivery Agreements (SDA) are being considered as part of 2002 spending review process. In accordance with Treasury guidance, sustainable development issues will be considered when PSAs are redrafted. My Department will also consider if it will be appropriate to set out the impact of sustainable development on the delivery mechanisms in the SDA.

Crime Statistics

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the recorded crimes per head of population for each police authority in England and Wales and the average figure for these authorities.

John Denham: The latest available information on the number of recorded crimes per 100,000 population for police force areas and nationally, for the year ended March 2001, has been published in table 2.6 of the Stationery Office publication "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 2000".

Police Numbers

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics he collates on the average number of police officers (a) at headquarters establishments and (b) per 1,000 population.

John Denham: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary collects data once a year about the allocation of officers. The Inspectorate's data record officers attached to Basic Command Units and to central functions. Central functions include specialist police squads as well as headquarters support functions and the officers performing central functions may be located at a number of sites.
	At the end of March 2001 (latest date for which data are available), 30,928 police officers (25 per cent. of total force strength) were deployed to central functions.
	Information on the number of police officers to population is published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletins "Police Service Strength: England and Wales". The latest bulletin (No. 23–01), was published on 18 December 2001 and shows that in England and Wales the number of officers per 100,000 population at 30 September 2001 was 240.3. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library.

Police Corruption (Cleveland)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been charged with corruption in the last five years in the Cleveland police force.

John Denham: There is no offence of 'corruption' as such.
	However, I am told that in the Cleveland police force over the last five years there have been the following criminal cases:
	one officer was convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice
	one officer was found not guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice;
	one officer was found not guilty of misconduct in a public office; and
	two officers are awaiting trial for misconduct in a public office.
	There have also been the following disciplinary cases:
	one officer was reprimanded for fraudulent use of an excise license;
	three officers were reprimanded or fined for failing to comply with the terms of an arrest warrant and false entry in a pocket notebook; and
	one other officer was found not guilty regarding taking appropriate action when the above case was first reported.
	The ongoing Operation Lancet investigation has also to date led to 12 police officers being charged with disciplinary offences.

Naturalisation Applications

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for naturalisation are (a) outstanding and (b) awaiting input to the INS database.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 11 January 2002
	I regret that statistics on individual types of citizenship applications undecided cannot be determined from current Immigration and Nationality Directorate data sources.

Visa Renewal Applications

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for visa renewal are (a) outstanding and (b) awaiting input onto the INS database.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 11 January 2002
	We do not routinely publish statistics on the number of general and settlement applications for further leave to remain undecided.

Policing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the planned expenditure on policing as a percentage of gross domestic product in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04.

John Denham: The information is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Year Police provision (£ billion) Money GDP (£ billion) Police provision as a proportion of money GDP (percentage) 
		
		
			 2001–02 8.5 998 0.85 
			 2002–03 9.0 1,046 0.86 
			 2003–04 9.3 1,099 0.85 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Police provision is total Government provision (police grant, special grant, capital grant, credit approvals and central Home Office spend and police Standard Spending Assessment).
	2. Money GDP figures are estimates.
	Information on the number of police officers to population is published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletins "Police Service Strength: England and Wales". The latest bulletin (No. 23/01), was published on 18 December 2001 and shows that in England and Wales the number of officers per 100,000 population at 30 September 2001 was 240.3. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library.

Police White Paper

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the White Paper on the Police.

John Denham: We have received approximately 1,100 representations on the White Paper. We are still considering these and will place a summary in the Library in due course.